Don't Ever Let Me Go!
by OblivionIsOnlyInevitable
Summary: TITANIC AU! Come aboard on the ship of dream, where friendships are made, and the rich and the poor collide, and new and old love blooms, until the tragic day arrives where the Titanic sinks. Naruto AU! Sasu/Saku, Neji/Ten, Ino/Shika, and Naru/Hina.
1. Chapter 1: The Ship of Dreams

**Don't Ever Let Me Go**

**Chapter 1: **_**The Ship of Dreams**_

**Author's Note: **Hello people! I know I have a couple other stories still going, and like two are a far cry from over; however, I really wanted to get this story out there. I've been working on it for a while now, and have a couple chapters ready, but I just haven't posted it until now!xD So anyway, here's my new story! Hope you all like it! And if you do, then there's a little button down below that you could click and send me a review telling me how much you loved it!;D

**Summary: **Come aboard on the ship of dream, where friendships are made, and the rich and the poor collide, and new and old love blooms, until the tragic day arrives where the Titanic sinks. Naruto AU! Sasu/Saku, Neji/Ten, Ino/Shika, and Naru/Hina.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or the Titanic! Although I really wanna own Jack!;D

* * *

Ino could hear the loud shouts of people outside her automobile as she watched random passerby's run full of glee to get inside the ship of dreams. She looked on enviously, wishing she was a part of the crowd too running to see such an extravagant ship. But no, she couldn't do any of that, for she was a lady, and as a lady, she must act like one. But still, Ino couldn't help but dream.

"Ino, I know you are excited, but will you please close that window! You will get your chance to see it the moment we step off the vehicle," a woman that appeared nothing like Ino said to her, swiping her with her handkerchief. Ino gave her an exasperated look. The woman has been nagging her all day. She just wouldn't stop! Ino felt she was nothing like her, and even sometimes wondered if this woman, with her brown hair and amber eyes, was in fact her mother.

"Well, I can't help myself mother, being caged in here is _torture_." Ino leaned to the side till her head rested on the leather side of the automobile, feigning suffocation.

Her mother smacked her some more with her handkerchief. "Will you stop that! How many times do I have to tell you, you are a lady! So act like one." Her mother's stare was filled with anger.

Ino rolled her eyes at her. "Ugh, what is wrong with it mother? No one is here to see me. And sitting straight and stiff all the time brings pain to my back. You of all people should know how I feel. I will straighten back up when the vehicle stops."

Her mother was about to open her mouth to retort, when her husband stopped her. He laughed, placing a hand on her arm. See now, if it wasn't for her strong resembles to her father, Ino would have been absolutely positive she wasn't their child. "Oh leave her, dear! She's just bored sitting here. Once the vehicle stops she will be back to her proper self."

"But dear!"

"Mei," he warned. "Leave her."

Ino looked smug as her mother begrudgingly shut her mouth.

Just then her motor vehicle honked, signaling to those that did not see it to move out of the way, and then stopped completely. The door to Ino's side was opened, and she couldn't wait to be ushered out. But at this point Ino was coming out to a crowd, and Ino must be a lady once more. Lightly she grabbed a hold of her chauffeur's hand, and with her other she held the upper part of her ankle length skirt. But that never stopped the huge grin that surfaced on her pretty face as she looked up at the grand ship.

The ship was stunning and humongous, going from 175 in height, and 882 feet and 9 inches in length, with its perfect black coat and white upper deck. Its thick pipes blow smoke into the air as the gigantic ship vibrated, prepared to cast off. It was magnificent indeed. The loud horn signaled out, surprising some people, and exciting others. Everyone cheered as people began to wave to others on its decks.

"So this is the ship that they say is unsinkable?" Ino had a satisfied look on her pretty white face.

"Y-yes. A-at least that is what Shikamaru's father says," she heard a soft voice say behind her.

Ino grinned turning towards it. "Well isn't this a surprise—Miss Hyuga. I can tell your speech has gotten much better since the last time I saw you." Ino's sky blue orbs stared into lavender colored ones.

The girl standing across from her was the perfect example of nobility. She was elegant and poised and beautiful, and in her own soft way she looked proud. She just made everything look expensive and out of reach. Men could only dream to reach her, but only few could touch her outstretched hand. She was wearing a lovely white and lavender hobble dress that covered her up to her pretty white neck. She had all her blue-black hair pinned up and to the side. She held a warm expression.

"H-has it? I-I'm glad. Shikamaru is a great tutor indeed. Don't you think so too, Neji?" Hinata asked, timid, looking behind her, to the side of her, to the tall stiff man beside her that held no expression. He wasn't looking to her; he was looking outskirts, to everyone else boisterously making their way to the grand ship. He finally gave her his attention.

He didn't hold back, "you still need improvement as your father said."

Hinata frowned. "Yes, of course, cousin. I shall make sure to work harder to make b-both o-our family proud."

His stone cold eyes bore into hers. It was a wonder to Ino how they could both have the same colored eyes and face, but both look and express completely different.

"Just don't over exhort yourself, madam."

Hinata's frown deepened. "Neji-nii-sama, I already told you, you do not have to call me madam."

"But you are above me, and I am your bodyguard. I don't think it is fit to call you anything else but that, just like it is fit for you if you do not acknowledge me so highly as well."

Hinata was about to protest, when suddenly she was shoved to the side. She gasped as her world was suddenly moving up and her body was crashing down.

"Hinata-sama!" Neji quickly caught her; he held her in his arms. "Are you alright, Hinata-sama!?" He held a sort of panic in his lavender eyes. Ino and her family were just as worried.

_Oh no_, she thought. _I've made him worry—again_. "I-I'm fine." She let him help her up to a straight position. "H-how c-clumsy of me." She smiled meekly.

"Don't worry, Hinata. It wasn't your fault it was that idiot that decided to bump into you. Where did he go! I'll have him chained up in jail in no time!" Ino searched the crowd for a blond set of hair and found none.

"Uh... I-Ino that is not n-necessary. L-let's just hurry up and g-get on the Titanic. I mean w-we wouldn't want this in-incident to ruin our day. After all, this ship is the ship of dreams." Hinata's eyes sparkled as they looked up to the large ship. If this ship was the start of new beginnings, then Hinata hoped she got the adventure she has always wanted—at least once.

* * *

In the meantime in the side of the ship, just by where it was anchored, rowed a couple of hooligans, they creped in, unseeingly and stealthy. The bigger one from the too huffed exhaustedly each time he rowed the boat. The one in the front posed like a dog with an actual dog on his head, watching the deck up above, making sure no one saw them. He shushed his friend as they got closer.

"Shhh~! Choji be quiet. We wouldn't want these guys to hear us."

"Well, they wouldn't hear me huffing if you just helped me row once in a while," the bigger man complained.

But the smaller man paid him no mind. "Not going to happen, now slow it down, Choji. We're right at the belly of the beast." He put a hand up signaling for the other boy to stop.

But Choji couldn't stop.

"Stop you idiot!" hissed the brown-haired boy with slits for eyes.

"I'm trying, but this darn thing won't stop!"

"God damn you, Choji! You're going to get us caught!" The dog on the boy's head whimpered under his breath.

They watched as they braised for impact, and bumped right into the ship's side, making a loud sound ring up its side.

They waited, praying that no one would come and look over, and just when they thought all hope was lost, no one came.

They let out a breath of air. "Thank God," said the brunette. He glared at his companion.

"Nice going buddy!"

Choji flinched, "Sorry Kiba. It was an accident."

"Yeah, well that accident could have cost us a free trip to America." He grabbed onto the thick rope holding the Titanic intact. "Now come on." He began to climb. "I can already hear those American women calling my name!" Kiba grinned down at his long time best friend. _Those Haruno's are going to have to mail me in order to get their money back!_ He snickered.

Choji followed. "All I'm thinking about is the food!"

Kiba laughed.

* * *

A little ways away, Sasuke stood in his expensive tailored black suit with a red bow, white under shirt and gray vest. He looked for better words dashing and gorgeous with his serious expression and deep ink filled orbs. He watched the workers as they put his motor vehicle on the ship.

"Steady it!" he shouted to one of the men. "I don't want to see a single scratch on that vehicle! And trust me; you wouldn't want to get a scratch on it! The pay would be worth more than you sack of warms combined!" He glared up at the workers. _Vermin_, he thought.

"Will you let them be little brother? Haven't you brought enough fear in them for them to be extra mindful now?" Sasuke watched his older brother, Itachi, walk up to him.

He scuffed. "These bunch of dogs wouldn't know the meaning of careful if you asked them. If you ask me they are a bunch of idiots that can't tell a bathroom from a curve."

Itachi chuckled, shaking his head at his brother. "Oh little brother," was all he said.

"What's all the fuss about?" Sasuke and Itachi heard. They both turned to look at who said that, and found none other than Karin Uzumaki strolling up towards them with her pink umbrella in hand. She looked beautiful with her red hair pulled up in a bun and her corset tightly fitted till it showed every good asset of her upper body. She wore a white and pastel pink dress. She looked lovely through anyone's eyes. But through Sasuke's eyes she looked the same as any heiress with money. Everything was always the same to Sasuke—everyone always looked the same to Sasuke. It was like he was only seeing through eyes that only saw black and white every day. Nothing ever changed. That's how it was to him: the poor were vermin, and the rich were scum. But he'd prefer the rich any day. He put his hands in his pockets.

"Nothing," was all he said to her.

She smiled at him. "Oh now, is that any way to speak to your fiancé?" She came up to him, touching his suit lightly. Her workers worked boisterously behind her. Sasuke could just make out her uncle and grandfather right beside them, giving them orders. "Don't you think it's time for you to open up to me, Sasuke-kun? It's already been three months since we have been together, and still you do not speak to me the way couples should."

His bitter stare came down to her hand. "Hn. That's because there is nothing to talk about." He grabbed a hold of her hand and lightly kissed it, because—after all—he was still a gentleman. "It is nice to see you, Miss Uzumaki," he said monotone. And she was his mine full of gold—literally. He grinned down at her devilishly.

Karin blushed. "Y-yes, well, same t-to y-y-you." _She stutters more than Hinata_, Sasuke's subconscious told him. He rolled his eyes, breathing hard. The things he did to get away from his obnoxious and demanding family.

"Shall we make for the ship," he asked her.

Still blushing, Karin smiled. "Yes, of course." She put her hand lightly in his waiting arm. But before they could take a step, someone crashed into them as they ran.

"What—_hey_!" Sasuke struggled to regain his footing.

"Sorry," spoke a rapid voice, "but we're in a hurry!"

"Oh come on—goldilocks—that's like your fifth one you've bumped into!" laughed an unexpectedly feminine voice through the crowd. Her auburn buns and grinning face could just barely be made out through the crowd as she stopped to look at the boy.

"That's 'cause Sakura keeps slamming me into them!"

"That's 'cause you're just too easy!" shouted another person with a cap on and boy's clothes, she ran passed them all.

"Hurry up, or you're just going to eat my dust!" She turned back grinning at the other two, her emerald green eyes shining as she smiled.

_It's a girl_, Sasuke realized, helping Karin up. _Or he really looked a lot like a girl_, he deadpanned, watching those three run away as they continued to shout at each other through the crowd.

"Are you two alright?" Itachi came up to them to help them up.

But Sasuke wasn't listening. He scowled. _So they are going on this same ship as us, huhh?_ "Those meager flies." He tore his stare from where those three had disappeared. While unbeknownst to him that this was the first time Sasuke was seeing other colors other than white and black.

* * *

Meanwhile, just minutes before, Naruto had been sitting in a café with a nice view of the large ship: Titanic.

He had an intense stare with his tongue out, as he literally stared holes at his cards. "Hm?" he hummed, gazing at his three competitors.

He felt two pair of arms massaging his shoulders. "Don't worry Naruto, you got this. I know you do." The person cheered him on, whispering in his ear.

He glanced up to the girl that probably needed more counseling than him, and grinned at her. "Don't worry sis, I got this. Have faith in me." He touched her arm. Her face brightened as she smiled down at him, her chocolate-brown eyes closing some.

"I do."

Naruto squeezed her hand once before turning back to the guys, looking—for better words—_smug_.

"Alright," he began. "Now before this game ends, I don't want to hear any bitching and/or complaining—"

"They're the same thing Naruto—"

"I don't care!" The female sweat dropped. He stuck out a finger in the air. "Point is, I'm going to win today, and y'all are going to suck it as you go and cry home to your mothers, while I feast with my family!" He had a foolish smirk that just read hunger and determination.

"Now throw down your cards gentlemen."

All the men grumbled while voicing their thoughts, like they always did when it came to Naruto. "Shut up Haruno," they said in sync. But they still did as were told.

The first one was a creepy looking guy that covered his face from head to toe. The only skin that was showing was the skin by his eyes that looked tanned, and some really freaky eyes of green and red. When Naruto had asked him what was up with the getup, he had responded that it was part of his culture, after that Naruto never asked again.

Growling the man threw down his cards. "I got nothing."

Naruto snorted, looking down at his cards. "Aw~ that's too bad, Kakuzu. Next victim!" Kakuzu glared at him. They all looked to the person beside Kakuzu.

Naruto liked to think that Hidan was another weirdo. Naruto and that guy have played cards together before, and so far what he has heard is just plain scary. He had told Naruto just recently that he was a masochist and some devil worshiping freak, and felt Naruto was a cool enough guy to join. Unfortunately for him, Naruto doesn't do pain and Satan. So he quickly turned him down—nervous as hell too. But Naruto didn't completely shun him, because—well—winning from this guy was fantastic!

Hidan, the gray-haired man, groaned. "I'm done too." He threw down his cards, not wanting to look at them.

Naruto burst out laughing. "I can't wait to get food in my _belly_~!"

He turned to the next guy. "What about you, Deidara?"

Deidara, the only other blond in the group besides Naruto, couldn't stand the big ass smile on Naruto's face. He pierced Naruto with his glare. "What about you, Naruto—what do you got?"

"Oh, do you really wanna see?"

Deidara was growing tired of that secretively self-satisfied look Naruto was holding in his cerulean eyes. "Just show them to me already!"

"Alright, you asked for it! Don't say I didn't warn you! _BAM_! Full house baby!" Naruto threw down the cards like he were throwing down a football. His chair scrapped as he stood up, dancing and shaking his ass.

Deidara yelled in agony, even though he wasn't in any type of pain. Then again, losing to Naruto was always painful for him.

Tenten cheered in the back alongside Naruto. "Oh yeah, we're going to eat tonight!" They both sang.

Just then, someone ran into the bakery. "You won?" A sweet voice asked from afar just as happy.

"Yes!" Naruto and Tenten chorused, looking to the person.

"Oh yeah!" shouted the petite girl in boys clothing, jumping in the air, the hat on her head bobbing, revealing those pink locks she held hidden so well. In a flash she was by them, tackling Naruto into a bear hug. He hugged her back just as tightly. "We're sleeping in tonight!" He twirled her.

She got off him, and Naruto turned to collect his winnings. "Hello beautiful," he spoke to the coins. "You're all coming home with daddy tonight, he-he!"

"Wait," Deidara outstretched his hand to hold him back. Naruto looked up to him, questioningly. "I want a rematch!" He stuck out a pair of three tickets, and not just any tickets, three tickets on the ship of dreams: Titanic. Naruto and the others eyed the tickets.

Kakuzu and Hidan quickly got up, causing a disturbance. "What the hell are you talking about, Deidara? Those are our tickets you are giving away too!" Hidan spoke.

"I already lost my precious money! I am not about to lose those valuable tickets as well!" Kakuzu agreed with Hidan.

"Relax you guys, I got this—trust me."

Their hard stares still fixed on their friend.

"Just think about it, if I win, not only will we make a little more money, and see this pest cry, but we'll be going to America too. Now doesn't that sound great to you?"

Naruto clutch his fists at the name Deidara called him.

Hidan thought about this, and finally gave in. "Alright, I'm in." He grinned.

They looked to Kakuzu. "You better get my money back, Deidara, or I'm killing you after." Kakuzu sat down.

"Now what do ya say, street rat, you in?" Deidara snickered at Naruto.

Naruto scowled, but smirked. "Why not." He sat down.

"What are you doing Naruto," hissed the pinkette.

"Relax Sakura, I got this." Naruto waved her off, kindly.

"But what if you lose?" Tenten interrupted just as anxious.

"It's three tickets to Titanic, girls. We can't pass up an opportunity like that!"

"Yeah, but at the risk of our money, I would rather leave it," Sakura chimed in. She didn't want to have another night sleeping on the cold street.

"I agree." Tenten was thinking about eating tonight.

"I know that, but when we have nothing, what do we have to lose guys?" Naruto questioned.

"A nice bed," Sakura answered.

"Food for a week," Tenten replied.

"But if we do win, we'll be getting a one way ticket to America where dreams really do come true." Naruto beamed. "Wouldn't you guys want to leave this hell hole already, and start a new life? Don't you think mom would want this?" He was using a cheap trick by bringing up mom like that, they all knew this. But it was true. Their mother would want them to leave Europe and move to a better place like America. Tenten and Sakura looked to each other, as if speaking through their minds.

Finally Tenten and Sakura nodded, looking determined. "Let's do it." _For mom_, they thought.

Naruto grinned. "Alright, we're in."

Deidara looked wolfish. "Good."

Kakuzu was the one dealing as he passed the cards to the two players only playing. Their table was full of tension as no one spoke, but the two playing. It felt like ages till finally Naruto said, "Okay, moment of truth." He watched Deidara, as did the other blond watch him.

"What you got Deidara?"

The little man grinned. "Straight flush." He showed them his cards.

Everyone gasped. Hidan and Kakuzu cheered.

"Wait!" Deidara stopped them. "We still don't know what Naruto has."

Everyone turned to Naruto. Sakura and Tenten had been fisting Naruto's worn jacket, awaiting his move.

Naruto frowns as he stares back at his sisters disappointedly. Their faces pale, knowing that look too well. "I'm sorry you guys," he bows his head. "We better prepare to grab our things because we won't be able to stay at that inn tonight..."

"What!?" Tenten rebuked.

"No Naruto!" Sakura cried, almost in tears.

"Yes Tenten, Sakura, I'm sorry because there's no going back now! Boo ya, cunt faces! I WIN~! We're going to America!"

The girls screamed in surprise and joy. "No way! No way!" Tenten repeated.

"Yes way! Ten, yes way! We did it!" Sakura bounced on her, but then stopped. "Wait, but what time is it now?" Sakura glanced back at the clock.

"The Titanic sets sail in eight minutes," the owner of the shop watching them play with a silly grin said. Sakura's eyes widened.

"EIGHT MINUTES! We gotta go! If we don't want to miss that ship we gotta go—NOW!"

Naruto held his tongue out as he collected his profits, dropping it all in his cap. "I believe this is _mine_~!"

Deidara and his gang quickly got up, fuming. "Haruno, you cheated!"

"C'mon guys, how did I cheat? We were all sitting in the same table watching each other!" Naruto fought back.

"Don't play coy with me street rat," Deidara grabbed Naruto from his collar. In an instant, he was punched and kicked back by to unknown forces. He fell back, hitting his head hard. Tenten had a fist out and Sakura had her foot up. They both sent dirty glares at Deidara.

"Don't call him that," said Sakura, menacingly.

"Yeah," Tenten backed up her sister.

Their expressions then quickly changed as they called out to Naruto.

"Hurry up!"

"Come on Naruto, we're going to be late!"

Naruto flipped the table on Kakuzu and Hidan as they yelled in shock.

"Yeah, I'm right behind you! Thanks Teuchi-san!" Naruto waved at the old man. "Sorry about the mess!"

"It's no big deal; you just go! GO to America and follow your dreams!" The old man waved back.

In a hurry, Naruto and his sisters slid through the crowd, racing one another and laughing, Sakura always cheating and tripping him up or shoving him into people just so that she could stay in front. At one point she had shoved him up to this noble woman. But Naruto didn't get to get a really good look at her as he followed his sisters, determined to get the upper hand on them. He didn't even think she heard his apology as he continued to run, but whatever. He couldn't change the past now could he. It went on like that for a while. Until Sakura had shoved him too roughly that he almost fell on these two couples, a red-head and a chicken's ass headed guy.

Recovering he said his sorry, and preceded forward, again, until they had finally made it to the dock of the boat. They were just about to close the door for departure, when Naruto stopped the ship officer.

"Wait! We're passengers too!" Naruto just saw two people go through. The ship officer stopped mid-way, and looked at them. Naruto showed him their tickets. The man looked at the papers for a moment and then to them. Their clothes weren't the best, but they weren't the worst either. Even so Naruto passed a hand through his fair hair and slimmed down his jacket, clearing his throat. The girl's did the same, only Sakura fixed her hat.

"Have you been through the inspection queue?"

"Of course," they lied through their teeth.

The man looked doubtful, but finally let them through. "Well alright, come along."

"Yes!" The group of three squealed, going through.

Naruto grinned behind him. "We are the luckiest sons of bitches in the world!"

"Hell yeah!"

"We're going to AMERICA!"

They cheered. They quickly got on deck and waved at the crowd, and with all their might yelled, "GOODBYE~ EUROPE! HELLO~ AMERICA HERE WE COME!"

Naruto whooped.

This was the best day of their lives. Little did they know, that in five days the ship that was said that not even God could strike down, was going to sink deep into the dark abyss of the ocean.

* * *

**A/N:** So~ any thoughts?:D


	2. Chapter 2: Family

**Don't Ever Let Me Go!**

****Chapter 2: **_**Family**_**

****Author's Note:**** Success! Another chapter done and ready to post!:) I'm so glad some of you liked my story. Thank you for your encouraging comments and reviews. And like you guys have requested, I've posted! I hope you guys like it. From this point on, all the main characters have been introduced, so the plot will be picking up, as you all will see that each of the characters have some kind of dilemma of their own that they are trying to cope with in their own way.^^ With that being said, please Review if you want another early chapter!xD I'm evil I know lol

**Summary: **Come aboard on the ship of dream, where friendships are made, and the rich and the poor collide, and new and old love blooms, until the tragic day arrives where the Titanic sinks. Naruto AU! Sasu/Saku, Neji/Ten, Ino/Shika, and Naru/Hina.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or the Titanic! But I want to own JACK!XD

* * *

"How long are you planning on standing here observing those outside from in here, Shikamaru?"

"As long as I feel like, father." Shikamaru didn't turn to look at his father's, now, disappointed face.

He had too many thoughts clustering his mind at the moment, and he was still angry at his father for what he had recently done to him.

His father sighed. "I know how you must feel, but you must understand I made a promise, and the Nara's—"

"Always keep their promise. I know." Shikamaru turned and glared at his father. "I just never thought you would do such a thing like this without thinking. I am very disappointed in you, father."

"I know." His father looked ashamed. "I could see it in your daily routines every day now. And I have a feeling you will not be forgiving me anytime soon either." Shikamaru's father heaved another sigh. Shikamaru and his father were like the splitting image of each other from head to toe, from the way they pulled back their brown hair tightly in a short and high ponytail, to their lazy pasture, to even how they expressed their feelings and how they talked. If it wasn't for the age gap, they could have literally passed as twins.

"You're right. I won't ever be forgiving you for this—_ever_. Not this time." Shikamaru was quickly losing his cool. "I mean what went through your thick skull for you to even make a promise like this?"

"He saved my life, so I had to give the man something in return. How was I supposed to know—at the time—that that was the worst mistake in my life? We Nara's never make mistakes when it comes down to calculations. But the idea of how you may feel about this never crossed my mind, until now." The older man truly felt guilty. He didn't know what else to say. He walked up to his son and placed a hesitant hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry son. I figured you would accept it."

Shikamaru let out a stressed sigh, shrugging his hand off. "I would have if you—why didn't you introduce me to her instead? If we were going to be wedded to one another, why not introduce me to her first? Why—why did you have to introduce me to a..._completely_ different person instead?" He slumped over as he came to his desk, paying no mind to the large map and papers and utensils scattering all over the top. His heart hurt as his mind swirled with images of—apparently—the wrong woman. He closed his eyes, rubbing at his eyelids.

"I know. This is completely my fault."

"Entirely," Shikamaru agreed.

His father ignored this however, and proceeded onwards like he hadn't been interrupted. "But I never figured you would fall in love with that other troublesome woman."

Shikamaru didn't know what to say. He exhaled tiredly; he hadn't been sleeping well these couple of nights and it was finally showing on his face. "Neither did I."

His father smiled sadly at him, and gestured to the door. "Come. We should probably go greet our guest, don't you agree?"

At first Shikamaru did not make a move to leave. He just watched his father unsure of how he should feel about this. He just wanted to be alone at the moment. He didn't want to hear, nor see anybody.

But his father continued to pester him along. "…She will be there. Don't you want to see her at least a couple more times before you officially become a married man?"

Shikamaru glared at his father. No, Ino was the last person he wanted to see, especially now that he was feeling venerable. But Shikamaru had no choice. He had an obligation to this family, and since his father and he were the creator of the Titanic. Shikamaru felt he had a reputation to keep. He couldn't—he wouldn't make his family lose face.

He swiftly turned back to his father and with a lazy stride made his way towards the door. "Let's just hope this ends quick then."

His father grinned lazily, "Agreed."

* * *

The moment the ship decided to take sail, Sakura, Naruto and Tenten decided to go find their cabin and throw all their stuff in there. What they found almost brought Sakura into tears.

"Beds!" she ran into the closet sized room. "Look you guys, they're beds!" She called out to her siblings like they weren't even there standing right next to her.

"Yeah, we know!" Tenten giggled from her spot by Naruto, also blinking back tears.

Naruto couldn't contain himself anymore; he was just as excited as his sisters. "I call the top bunk!" He ran up to the only other available top bunk.

"Oh—no fair! The other one's taken already!" Tenten fought with Naruto to get on top.

Sakura jumped onto the first bed she could get into, and snuggled in deep into her fluffy pillow that smelled so good—just like lavender. She didn't care about the top or bottom bed, just as long as she got a bed. She closed her eyes relishing this moment. Sakura had never had her own bed—not since her mother passed away. She was always sleeping in the streets with her two siblings—well, they weren't exactly her siblings by blood, but Sakura loved to think that their bond ran deep—deeper than any blood related siblings. She loved Naruto and Tenten like her blood ran in their veins and theirs in hers. Her mother had found both Tenten and Naruto in the streets, both also just infants. Tenten was the first to come into their family of thieves at the age of one. When she turned two their mother's belly was swollen with Sakura, and by that time Tenten and her mother had found Naruto. So Sakura was considered the baby in their little trio. However, if memory served her right, Sakura had no clue exactly how Naruto came to be in their family. She had known Tenten's troubling reason, but Naruto's was just mysterious. From what Sakura's mother had told them, Naruto was found in a disaster zone, by a noble's house. Although Sakura never caught which noble it was, which she found very strange, but all she did know is that Naruto carried a necklace—a necklace not given to him by their mother, but by his real parents—that he never took off. It was a small blue stunning crystal pendent with two little silver balls the size of a mouse's dropping.

"HAH! I win!" Naruto suddenly bellowed out, laughing in Tenten's face.

She slapped his face in, grinning then as he grunted, clutching at his face in pain.

"Tenten you—"

"I dare you to say it!"

Naruto held a sadistic smile. "I accept your challenge, you _bit_—"

"Quiet you!" She socked his throat. Naruto choked, falling off the bed.

Meanwhile Sakura wiped her face on her pillow, smearing those stray tears away. It was always hard for her to think about her mother. Every single time she did think about her, she always cried.

"I miss mom," she suddenly said, stopping Naruto and Tenten from killing one another. They paused to look at her. Naruto had Tenten in a headlock, and Tenten had his hair in her hand, pulling down hard.

"What?" They released each other.

"Sakura are you thinking about mom right now?" Tenten questioned coming up to her, Naruto followed suit.

"Yeah." She sat up. "I can't help it. Every time we come into a new environment—one we've never been to before—I start thinking about her. You know that."

"Yeah, we do," Naruto came to hug her.

Sakura embraced him back. "I just really miss her," her voice broke.

"I know," Tenten joined in.

"We all do, sis, we all do," Naruto filled in last, holding his sisters till they were content again.

Sakura rubbed at her tears. "Sorry. I must be ruining each of your times," she told her siblings.

"Not at all Sakura! As long as you're happy, we're happy," Tenten smiled down at her.

"Now come on you," Naruto lifted her up and off the lower bunk bed. "It's time we went out and got you some fresh air."

Sakura giggled. "That does sound like a plan to me, big brother."

Naruto laughed, tackling her into a bear hug. "That's the spirit!" They walked out of the room.

"Say, I wonder who's our other bunkmate?" Tenten looked back at the only other spare bed with art supplies on it.

"I don't know, but when he gets back—if he ever gets back—we're going to have to talk about our sleeping arrangements," Naruto said after.

They came up on deck smelling that fresh smell of sea water, enticed by it.

Sakura ran out to the railing alongside Tenten as they both squealed at the sight of two dolphins swimming.

"Ah! Naruto look there are two dolphins!" Sakura turned around to show her brother. He didn't respond.

"Naruto?" She watched her brother's captivated stare worriedly.

_What is he looking at?_ She followed the trail his eyes were lingering at. Her eyes widened.

"Naruto?" she asked again.

"Isn't she beautiful, Sakura?"

Sakura didn't know what to say.

* * *

"This time will you be joining us, little brother?" Itachi walked up to Sasuke as he fixed his tie.

"There is no question he _will_ be joining us," a voice said, never giving Sasuke a chance to speak. Sasuke's hard stare came up to meet his father's. They were in his room.

"Don't you think that is my decision to make on my own, father?"

"No," came his swift reply. "If I left it up to you, you would not show up at all, finding these little activities pointless."

"I will not deny that," Sasuke responded bluntly. "Besides, it seems I am not needed there anyway. Since you already have your one _precious_ son, why bother bringing me along?" Sasuke challenged his father.

"Sasuke!" his mother come in out of nowhere from the room in the back. The men in the room didn't even give her a glimpse.

Itachi stepped up to his brother. "Now Sasuke that is not fair..."

"Says the favorite child." Sasuke glared at Itachi.

Sasuke's father looked deadly at him. "Sasuke...do not ruin my patents while it is still here."

Sasuke didn't say anything.

"You are going with us to the grouping to congratulate the Nara's for such an extravagant ship this is, and we will look like a united family, understood Sasuke?"

Sasuke locked his jaw tight. "Understood father," he practically spat. Only because he was going, didn't mean he would be staying for long. Sasuke planned to escape once he saw the Nara's. He felt as the unwanted child he at least deserved that much.

* * *

"Choji, will you hurry your stinking ass!" Kiba hissed at his friend as he tried to lift him out the anchor hole they had snuck in from.

Choji grabbed on to him. "I'm trying! But my stomach won't fit!"

"Well then suck it in!" Kiba held his breath as he pulled, Akamaru also tried to help by biting Kiba's lower portion of his pants and pulled back, but it wasn't really helping. He was just damaging the boy's pants by doing that.

Choji sucked in his stomach as he tried to pull himself out, he felt like he was being crushed and suffocated, and just when he was about to give up, Kiba did one last tug and he was out. Kiba yelled as Choji fell on top of him.

"_Guh!_ Choji get off of me! I can't breathe!" Kiba tapped him, trying to push him off.

"I'm trying!"

"You're always trying! Just do it!"

Choji finally got off. "Sorry Kiba!" He came over to help his canine loving best friend.

"Uh~ I can't feel my legs!" Kiba shook his legs, falling back on his back after. "I can't believe this," he breathed. "You're a real monster you know that, Choji?"

Choji felt guilty, but nonetheless still grinned. "It's the pounds man, they do wonders."

"Well then let's do us all a favor and let's not go through that again."

"I second that motion."

They then turned to look at the door as they heard sounds of people talking and walking, as they passed by the room.

Kiba placed a finger to his lips as he gestured to Choji to go forward. There was a small round window at the door as they looked through it. On the other side, they saw maids folding and ironing a bunch of sheets, towels and clothes. From what they could see, the clothes were work clothes.

Choji looked worried. "How are we going to get out of here?"

Kiba suddenly got an idea. "I have a plan." The bell signaling the women off to their break went off in the room. They waited as they watched them go, and then Kiba opened the door to go into the room.

"Kiba what are you doing?" Choji followed after him anxiously, looking at the other door the women had just left through. He could still hear their laughing voices as they began to fade away.

"Calm down my friend. I know what I'm doing," Kiba reassured him.

"Yeah, but what if someone comes in."

"No one's going to come in—"

"What are you doing in here?" suddenly another voice exclaimed, the tone of it very authoritative. It left both Choji and Kiba and even Akamaru speechless.

But inside, Kiba was already cursing himself for getting caught. He was quickly going to retort that they had gotten lost, when the man stopped him.

"Oh, that's right… The manager had said something about getting two new crew members. You must be the new recruits." The man chewed on a toothpick as he smiled at them nonchalantly, he had a white bandana on his head tied up neatly, but it did little to hide his brown hair, in fact it only made him look cooler and mysterious. He was cladded in all white, with his sleeves all the way rolled up to his shoulders, and his white jacket he was supposed to wear when on the job tied around his waist.

"Well then what are you waiting for, grab your uniforms and come along then. Oh, and the names Genma." He smirked at them.

Kiba and Choji looked at one another, shrugging their shoulders after. They did little to question the guy and did as they were told.

"Oh, and you might want to put that little guy in your room while we're at it." Genma turned back at them smiling slyly at Kiba. "What, you didn't think I didn't see him, did you?"

Kiba rubbed his neck, nervously. "Yeah. Sorry."

"No worries, you can just put him in the room. We'll be passing by there in a moment so that you two can put your belongings away. But you might want to keep him hidden from the higher-ups."

Kiba and Choji nodded understanding.

But inside, they were both astonished at this turn of events. Who knew the moment they decided to step inside here they would land themselves a job on the Titanic? They followed the man, Genma, to their cabins.

* * *

Hinata sat poised, drinking tea with her father and sister Hanabi, quietly, looking at the table rather than her father as she neatly—with her pinky out—sat her tea-cup down. She was currently in her grand room of one bedroom, with maids scurrying around, nervously, placing everything in order like her father had ordered them to do. He watched her patiently, just as formal. Neji stood to the side with a towel on his arm, waiting like a butler in the corner for either Hinata's or her sister's or her father's call for assistance. He had his eyes looking nowhere in particular.

Her father sat his tea-cup down as he sighed, satisfied. "That is good," he commented, complimenting the tea.

"Yes, it is," Hinata sounded stiff. She was trying really hard not to stutter when speaking to her father. She placed both her hands on her skirt as she waited for her father to speak.

"I see your speech lessons are coming along smoothly."

"Yes, Shikamaru is a wonderful fellow. His teaching skills could not be compared to no other," Hinata praised.

"I see. That's good to hear that our money had not gone to waste."

"Yes."

Her father paused, closing his eyes as he drank more of his tea before clattering down his tea-cup, and continuing again. "You're lessons will double now. I will be filling up your days with necessary activities that I guarantee will give you the necessary skills to take over as the families head. And remember Hinata, I only do this to better our family's assets, and to lessen the burden on your shoulders when the time comes that you must take my place. By the time our journey ends, I expect to see much improvement in you. Do I make myself clear, Hinata?"

"Yes father." Hinata nodded courtly, trying her best not to show how much everything he said to her affected her. She remained as stiff as Venus' statue herself.

An awkward silence passed between them, as Hinata tried not to squirm while under her father's scrutiny. His lavender eyes roaming her carefully, a deep line set on his profile. He had long dark brown hair tied back mid-way like Neji. It seems that when it came to the Hyuga family, there was absolutely no one that could not tell they were the Hyuga's by just looking at them. They were the only family that resembled each other to the bone, besides the Uchiha's, but even they had some slight differences that could be made out.

The clock ticked in the background as the silence deepened.

"I expect to see you act proper and extra mindful of the new acquaintances we are about to meet. All of them could become a good benefit for the family in the future." Hinata's father only spoke to her when speaking. He never lectured her sister Hanabi, because, even though others saw Hinata as perfection, in reality, through her father's eyes, only Hanabi was the perfect example of perfection. Hinata on the other hand was none of that—yet.

"I understand father," Hinata said.

"There will also be great suitors there to choose from. I will arrange for you to have one each day until I see one fit to be your groom. Do not fail me Hinata or you will always be a disappointment through my eyes."

Unknown to them, Neji's fingers twitched at his uncles words. He despised his uncle with everything he had, and always would, for as long as he lived.

"I won't father," Hinata promised.

"Good. Now let's move along." He stood up. Just then, Neji came to Hinata's side to help her up, along with her sister. His uncle paid him no mind.

"As guests, I think it is only fair that we greet the man that made this extravagant ship a reality."

"Yes father," Hinata and Hanabi said at the same time.

Once her father turned his back to them, Hinata let her mask crumple. She showed her sadness, thinking that she was the only one seeing it through her mirror by her room, but little did she know that so was Neji.

By the time they had made it past the hallways and down the stairs of the most gorgeous area in the ship with a chandelier so big it looked like it sparkled full of diamonds, and with wood so neatly carved that it could compare to those of St Sabina's main panel doors on the Aventine Hills, and with walls and ceilings painted so precise that it looked like they were both touched by Leonard Da Vinci hands himself.

Hinata could do little to hide her awe as she gazed about her at every nook and cranny, completely mesmerized, that she had not noticed that they had arrived to their destination at hand. They waited to be let in, and once done, Hinata was met by her friend's open arms, as her long light golden hair perfectly fell to one side in soft curls. She wore a large beautiful violet hat with a pastel blue and violet ribbon bow neatly tide around it with many different flowers from baby pink and purple camellias, to blue hydrangeas. She looked stunning in her violet day dress.

"Oh Hinata, how I missed you!" Ino hugged a confused Hinata. "Play along," she suddenly whispered in her friend's ear; her voice changing.

Hinata just stared at her wide-eyed, but still nodded.

Ino went back to her dramatic acting. "I was just telling my poor mother how suffocated I feel in here and how I felt I needed to get some fresh air—_alone_—but she refuses, insisting I bring along some miserable fool to come along with me. But I keep refusing her." Ino fanned herself with her pretty purple and blue fan.

Ino's mother tried to contain her scowl, as she made her way towards them. "I keep telling her she needs to have at least a chaperoned just in case something happens to her."

"Oh mother, but nothing will happen to me!" Ino shut her fan.

"And how do you know that?"

"Your mother's right Ino," Ino's father walked up to them, smiling even with his eyes. "Hello Hiashi, it's been a long time," Ino's father greeted.

"Same to you, Inoichi, Mei." Hiashi kissed Ino's mother's hand lightly.

"It is nice to see you again, Hiashi-sama," Ino's mother said her hellos as well.

The act then repeated with their daughters and Neji.

Inoichi landed on Hanabi, and gasped. "My, my, is this Hanabi I'm looking at?" He smiled kindly down at Hanabi, which Hanabi returned the gesture.

"Hello lord Inoichi." She curtsied.

"And her formalities are exquisite," Inoichi observed. "My, my, Hiashi you've sure outdone yourself with these girls."

"Thank you, Inoichi-sama," Hinata and her sister said at once.

Ino began to grow impatient. She suddenly latched on to Hinata. "Oh father, if I can't go alone, how about Hinata and her cousin come along with me? That way I won't be alone, and you and mother would not have to worry."

Her father laughed. "Why that sounds like a brilliant idea! How about it Hiashi, let the girls go have a little fun, after all we will be on this ship for a while, might as well make the most of it, no?"

Hinata worried as she stared at her father's face, waiting for his rejection, but surpassingly, it never came. Hiashi sighed. "Alright, why not. We have a lot of important things to discuss about anyway," Hiashi said to Inoichi.

"Oh yes we do," the blond man beamed.

Yes! Ino took this chance to get away, dragging along Hinata. "Thank you Hinata!" Ino sang.

"I-Ino t-these dresses a-aren't meant to r-run in!" Hinata told her friend as she tried not to trip, forgetting to keep her speech in check. They were called hobble dresses for a reason!

But Ino just continued to laugh, ushering her along. She had been dying to get away, and it seemed that the only times she ever could is when she had someone like Hinata to accompany her, not realizing that it was the same for Hinata.

"I-I-Ino!" Hinata begged. "P-please! I-I'm g-g-going to fall!"

Wordlessly, Neji followed, a bit pleased that Hinata was no longer thinking about the hardships her father puts her through every day.

Ino didn't stop running until they had made it out into the open air of the sea. Ino took a big intake of air as she outstretched her hands and twirled in a circle. "My, isn't this marvelous, Hinata, Neji?"

Neji didn't say anything, which didn't bother Ino.

But Hinata did. Hinata stepped up to look out at the ocean below them. "This is incredible..."

Ino giggled, "Isn't it?"

Hinata nodded, and slowly a big smile began to surface on her face. "Y-yes—yes i-it is!"

She was so captivated by the sea below her that she hadn't noticed a blond not that far away looking at her from a distance away, noticing her for the first time as he watched her through his cerulean eyes.

Beautiful was the first thing that functioned in his head.


	3. Chapter 3: An Artist and a Gentleman

**Chapter 3: _An Artist and a Gentleman _**

**Author's Note:** So I updated!:D So be happy with me!x) Send me some love by reviewing!x3

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or the Titanic! But give me JACK! That's all I want!

****Warning** You don't have to read this in the bottom, it is only meant for guests** **

**_To rguest:_** I will! I'll never give up! I promise!xD

**_To meeeee:_** I UPDATED! Give me some sugar! Lol jk.x3 And thank you very much.

**_To Guest:_** Umm. From what I can see, over 300 or so people in this world would, including you. So that would be 301. And that's not including all the Titanic fans out there in this world. Soo… Your point is? Lol look, if you don't like "emo" stories (as you claimed my story is one, even though I'm sure you haven't read my oh so tragic story, and let's not forget the predictions you have made about my characters dying without knowing for sure If I will be killing them off or not) then why are you giving me such a stupid comment such as the one you have posted? Just pass on by—live your life—and move on to the next story that isn't one about the Titanic.

****The story starts here, down below** Enjoy****

* * *

"Oh fella, I'd say you stop looking at her now," said an unknown voice to Naruto.

Sakura looked up to the guy and frowned. He was sitting on the bench closest to them, dabbing his paintbrush on the paint-board in his hand. His eyes were looking straight ahead, and not at them.

Naruto begrudgingly tore his eyes away from Hinata to stare at the person that said that to him, and he knew the person was talking to him since it was just him and his sisters and this other guy. _Great and he's a pervert too!_ Naruto saw the drawing the guy has, as he drew two very distinct female figures holding hands and laughing together in a lovingly way. He was good, really good. Naruto had to hand it to him, the guy knows his stuff. The man never looked at him as he continued painting.

"I don't want to hear that coming from _you_, when you're looking at them too!" Naruto pointed at the drawing that had Hinata and Ino in it.

The other boy shrugged; his ink tresses framing his face as his dark hypnotic eyes finally gazed up at Naruto. "I'm just saying."

"Yeah, well, you don't have to." Naruto crossed his arms. "What makes you so positive I don't have a chance?"

The boy broke into a smile as he scuffed. "A girl like that would never go for a boy like you." The boy gestured to all of Naruto with his paintbrush. "Just give it up, boyo. She's already got a feller, see." Naruto looked up to see another man standing beside Hinata.

Sakura didn't say anything, because she too knew that woman was way out of reach from Naruto. It was like trying to touch the wings of an angel.

But Sakura had to hand it to her brother, he never gave up. She smiled to herself. If there was someone she knew that could do the impossible, it was Naruto.

"But he's not with her. You could obviously tell the resemblance between them."

"I'm not talking about that one. I'm talking about that one coming towards them." The boy pointed towards a tall man with brown hair and a black tailored suit. He came up to them and kissed Hinata's hand first, and then Ino's. He was speaking to them.

Naruto looked disappointed. _No, way...!_

"I told you." The boy resumed his work. Naruto looked back up to her. But she was the fairest creature Naruto had ever seen. He clutched at his heart; it even hurt to watch.

"...So what," Naruto said after a while.

The boy's head snapped up. "Excuse me?"

Naruto grinned at him with his outrageously gorgeous smile. "I said 'so what' if she's got someone else. I'll win her over."

The boy stared at him trying to function all this in his head, when he burst out laughing. "Oh my god! That's a good one fella! I've never laughed so heard in my life!"

Naruto pouted. "Boy, then there must be something wrong with you if this is the first time you've ever laughed so hard," he mumbled every word.

The boy grinned up at him. "Hi," the boy stretched out a hand to Naruto. "I'm Sai. And you are?"

"Naruto." Naruto took his hand. "And that's my sister, Sakura."

The boy chuckled. "Well Naruto, I'll tell you what, if you can show me that an ol' bag of nothing like you can snatch a snag like her, then I'll give you something that would be worth your wild."

This caught Naruto's attention. "Like what?"

Sai shook his head. "You'll just have to play along to find out," he said.

Naruto frowned. Well, this wasn't any fun at all.

"Well don't think about it too hard, Naruto, it's not like you're actually going to win," Sai chuckled. But Naruto wasn't paying attention; he was watching as that other guy whisked the girls away to some unknown area.

Sakura gave Sai a solid look. "Well with Naruto you never know. He might make the impossible possible." She smiled falsely at Sai.

Sai just looked to her, observing her carefully, and just continued to smile, stiffly.

"Uh, did I miss something?" Just then Tenten walked up towards them. She was completely stuck on watching the dolphins that she hadn't heard or seen what had happened between Naruto and Sai and Sakura.

Sakura sighed, and shook her head, promising to tell her later. Tenten understood. They came up to Naruto and tapped him on his shoulder.

Sakura breathed out, again. "Come on Naruto. Let's go look around some more."

The blond turned towards them and shook his head stiffly.

Sai watched them go as they waved their goodbyes. He shook his head, chuckling under his breath. "Things might just get interesting after all." He continued to finish his portrait. He still had time before the gathering.

* * *

"So explain to me why I get to my room on the ship and already my mother is speaking about these new money individuals?" Ino looked outraged. "It's like honestly that is all these old bats like to talk about." She had a long cigarette holder as she calmly took a drag of her cigarette. "It gets really boring, don't you agree, Hinata?"

Hinata nodded her head, trying her best not to cover her nose at the stench of that god awful smell radiating off of Ino's cigarette.

"Well, y-you c-can't really b-blame them, they a-are really _different_ from what we are accustomed to."

Ino huffed. "Yes I know that, but is it so bad? We could use different, don't you agree?"

"...I-I d-d-don't know, Ino. Maybe d-d-different isn't g-good," Hinata disagreed with Ino's outlook.

Ino frowned. "Maybe not." Ino bowed her head. "But maybe _I_ can use different." She finally looked up at Hinata sadly. "I hear there are two of them—maybe even more—I wasn't really paying attention to my mother since all she kept talking about is 'new money this, and new money that.' But I did hear two that caught my attention. She said they are both artists—a sculptor and a painter she said—and their works are magnificent. They designed the grand stair case and lobby of this ship." Ino took another drag, avoiding her own dilemmas by focusing on this conversation.

Hinata looked fascinated. "R-really? And have you met them yet?"

Ino shook her head. "I haven't met them, but I hear they are real lookers, and they are brothers too." She beamed. "I wouldn't mind having myself a taste at all," she joked. It would certainly get her mind off of a certain someone, she thought.

Hinata flushed at this, glancing away. "I-Ino, how could you s-s-speak so i-informally?"

Neji gave Ino a glare. He was watching them from a short distance to not make the atmosphere awkward for the girls, since he was there. But what that blonde woman said really got the better of him. He didn't like the way she was speaking to Hinata. She was filling Hinata's pure mind with improper fantasies.

"Oh come now Hinata, you are bound to understand some day. So why not now?" Ino grinned cutely with mischief.

Hinata's face brightened fifty shades redder. "Uh-um-uh . . . No! I d-d-don't want to talk about this now!" She waved her hands in front of Ino, who laughed at her friend's bashfulness. "I'm n-n-not ready!"

"Oh Hinata! I'm just teasing you, sweet little Hinata!" Ino hugged her friend ever so tightly. Hinata didn't push her away.

They suddenly went quiet.

"Ino," came Hinata's voice. Ino could hear—just barely—the sound of hesitance. "How are you and Shikamaru? Are you both still not speaking to one another?"

Ino heaved a significantly long sigh, letting go of Hinata, and coming back to look outwards—to the sea. She knew this conversation would come eventually. She just never thought it would come so soon. She flicked some ash from her cigarette. "It's not like I do not want to speak to Shikamaru, but more of he does not want to speak to me." She glanced down to the parting seas as it splashed while the ship broke through it. "He's been avoiding me excessively, and I know it's not just my imagination—he has been avoiding me." Ino's sky blue eyes grew fierce. "I mean just a while ago I came to say my greetings, and do you think the guards let me pass to see him? No! They rejected me, telling me he was far too busy to see anyone at the moment." Ino laughed bitterly. "Can you believe that, Hinata? He was far too busy to see _me_—of all people!"

"How do you not know he wasn't? Perhaps he truly was busy."

Ino looked at her doubtful. "Hinata—do you truly believe what you are saying yourself?"

Hinata didn't know how to respond.

"Shikamaru is the laziest person in the world! He never does his work! I still can't believe he finished this ship!" Ino lifted her arms to emphasize this. "At the least he was doing, while in there, was taking a nap while he still had the chance! He's a lying sac of—"

"L-l-let's not get too ahead of ourselves now, Ino!" Hinata came up to her with her hands up, wearily, hoping Ino would quickly calm down. "And yes, I know what you mean. Even when Shikamaru really was busy, he still always stopped whatever he was doing to give at least a little time for you. But now—I can't quite put my finger on it—but it feels like he's hiding something."

"Exactly! So I am not the only one that sees it!" Ino held a dark glint. "And I'm going to do whatever it takes to figure it out, because, how dare he hide something from me so ruthlessly that he's even afraid to face me!" It made Ino want to cry by just thinking about it. They've known one another since they were toddlers. There has not been a time Ino and Shikamaru were not together. Everyone knew their existed was primarily for each other. If there was a ball, or cocktail party, everyone already knew who Ino or Shikamaru was coming with, no questions asked. Everyone already knew that they were both already taken. They were like Siamese twins, stuck to each other like glue. But now, gossip was rising. People were noticing the strangeness in both their behaviors. Ino and Shikamaru were no long "together," and Ino felt alone because of this.

Hinata touched her friend's arm. "I'm sure whatever it is, Shikamaru has a good reason," Hinata comforted.

Ino smiled. "I'm sure he does too. But it just hurts me when he acts this way. He's not letting me in—it's driving me slightly insane," Ino confessed smiling.

Hinata giggled, hugging her friend. "I can see that."

Ino laughed lowly, hugging Hinata back; however the two girls never had enough time to get to into it, when in that moment a voice came, interrupting the two girls. "Miss Ino Yamanaka? Miss Hinata Hyuga?" a man's voice rang out behind them.

Ino and Hinata both parted. "Yes?" responded Ino, looking towards the man. He was an average looking man with brown hair and little beady eyes and sharp jaw. But he wore an expensive suit that looked outstanding on him.

The man smiled kindly. He bowed to them. "My name is Sabaku no Kankuro." He glanced up to them. "I am here to great the both of you, and also, to meet Miss Hyuga in person." The man glanced to Hinata.

"And why is that?" Neji finally said standing in front of both girls, protectively, with one arm out, intimidating Kankuro.

Kankuro took a step back. "Hiashi-sama does not lie about the heiress being heavily guarded," Kankuro laughed nervously.

"Hiashi—my father? How exactly do you know my father, Mr. Sabaku no?" Hinata questioningly held a hand to her lips, attempting her best not to stutter.

"That is, because I am the first bachelor on your father's carefully examined list." He reached out and lightly kissed her hand, avoiding Neji's arm that he still had out for protection.

Neji glared at him.

"B-bachelor? I see. Yes, my father did say there were going to be many fine suitors today." She curtseyed. "I apologize, I haven't introduced myself. I am Hinata, Hinata Hyuga. It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Sabaku no."

"Please, the pleasure is all mine." He grinned down at her.

Ino rolled her eyes. "_Yes_," she stretched the word, deciding to interrupt. "And I'm Ino Yamanaka, but you already knew that." She showed him her most dashing smile, giving him her gloved hand for him to kiss. Kankuro never hesitated to accommodate.

"Of course I could never forget France's number one beauty, or so I've heard. And I must say your reputation precedes you." He released her hand.

Ino giggled once. "Yes. I must say it does." She placed a gloved hand to her lips to hide that cocky grin that—dare she say it—threatened to show.

"And I must say it is a beautiful day today. However, I was thinking it is getting a little humid out here. Shall we go inside where it is much cooler?" He held his arms out for both women.

Ino looked to her friend. "It is getting a bit warm." She fanned herself to emphasize this more.

"Yes, I agree," Hinata said.

"Well then, we shall go along," Ino told Kankuro, placing her hand on his arm.

Ino and Hinata quickly agreed, following him as he led them inside. They made their way back to the main lobby through the way they had come from, while discussing about Kankuro's life.

"So, Mr. Sabaku no," Ino began.

"Please, call me Kankuro," Kankuro told the woman.

"As you wish. Kankuro," Ino tested the name in her mouth. She smiled. "Where do you live?"

"Mascow, Russia," Kankuro responded.

"Oh, how interesting," Hinata finally spoke. "I never saw you as the type that enjoyed the cold."

Ino and Hinata giggled. Ino seeing what her friend meant by that.

Kankuro didn't see what was so funny, but kept a smile on his face nonetheless. "And why do you say that?"

"How amusing," Ino commenced. "That is, because the snow is the complete opposite of what your name means."

"Ah, now I see what you mean. I guess it is, isn't it?"

"Yes," Ino said. "Having a name that means 'of the desert' while living in the snow is quite amusing indeed."

"Well, my family wasn't exactly from Russia to begin with, we had just recently moved there when my brother Gaara had been born. We are originally from Egypt," Kankuro let them in.

"Ah, now that makes sense," Ino replied again.

"I-Indeed," Hinata agreed giggling.

They were abruptly interrupted when four men broke out into a fight.

"What did you say!?" one of the men grabbed onto the other man's collar, startling the girls. He had bandages all over his face with only one eye sticking out. It was a wonder to Ino how he could see that way.

"You heard me. I said I am going to steal your wife away," the man currently being choked said, unaffected by the pressure the other man was placing on his collar.

"Come on. We should probably move away from here before you lady's get hurt," Kankuro said, concerned, and getting ready to usher the two girls away. He searched around, wondering where the bloody hell were the ship officers when you truly need them.

"He is right, madam, we should move to a safer distance," Neji came up to Hinata, holding her close to him just in case.

"Y-yes," Hinata allowed Neji to take her away from their spot.

"Shall we Miss Ino?"

"Oh yes—" Ino was interrupted when she was suddenly shoved by another man running into the fray. She stumbled as she was suddenly shoved into the fight, right in front of the two men bickering. Her eyes widened as she saw the man with bandages all over his face lift his fist to hit her.

"I am going to kill you!" he promised with an absolute tone.

Ino screamed in fear, shutting her eyes.

"Miss Ino!"

"Ino!" She heard Kankuro's and Hinata's voice through the loud gasps of the crowd, and so many other familiar voices, but only one voice functioned in Ino's mind.

_Shikamaru!_

* * *

**A/N:** Here's a fun fact, this chapter was originally 11 pages long. But I cut it down to six pages because I felt it was wayyy too much. I'll be posting the next five pages in the next chapter.:) Buahahaha! I know. I'm evil! Leave me a review or two if you want me to post it


	4. Chapter 4: You Saved Me?

**Don't Ever Let Me Go**

**Chapter 4: _You Saved Me_**

**Author's Note: **And yet another chapter is up!xD I feel like I'm on a roll here. Sorry guys, I know you're all waiting for NaruHina fluff, and don't worry it's coming up, trust. But this one's for Inoshika fans.:))

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or the Titanic!

* * *

**To anonymousP: **Awh! I'm so happy to hear that. Your types of comments bring tears to my eyes.:') Thank you. And just like requested I updated faster!:3 You will be finding out what happened with Ino in this chapter, and don't worry, I already have planned a big fluffy moment between Naruto and Hinata, so expect that very soon.;D

**To Guest:** What's this? You're still here? LOL am I sensing a cyber-stalker? Haha careful Mr. Stalker you might give an author the wrong idea if you keep coming on here so regularly. I might just think you like me or my story, and you're just seeking attention in a real...pathetic way. And FYI I'm not bragging, I'm stating, smartass. You asked me who would want to read my story, and I told you there are over 300 or so people that do. Oh'p wait, make that 800 and rising. Now I'm bragging.c: Look _guest _(lol I love how you're a guest and talking smack) if you care so much about favorites and reviews and how my story is doing, why don't you sit your ass by a computer and start typing your own, hm? Don't you think that sounds like plan? Instead of being a low-life and trying to—ineffectively—hurt my feelings like as if I give a fuck about what you think. Oh, and also, I'll take that last spoiler as a prediction from your part. Because you don't "like" my story, right?:)

* * *

With a bitterness, Sasuke walked along the white halls of the Titanic with his father, mother, brother and fiancé by his side. He was extremely outraged about what he and his father had discussed about in the room, and was no longer in the mood to go to this gathering full of rich snooty women and audacious men always speaking highly about how impressive their lives are. He already had enough of that everywhere he went. He felt it was time for a change.

Fortunately, that change would come sooner than later, but in exchange, it would cost him enormously.

His father went up to the attendant operating the elevator. "Will it be up or down, sir?" beseeched the attendant.

"Up," Sasuke's father answered roughly. He and the rest walk into the machine.

"Up it is then." The attendant closed the gate.

A silence passed between the group, to which Sasuke preferred. He wasn't in the mood to socialize. But then when was Sasuke ever _social_?

"I expect you all to have good manners," Fugaku's voice broke the silence, directing this mostly to Sasuke, glancing at him from the corner of his eye as he said this, making sure he heard.

_Here we go again._ Sasuke didn't comment. He refrained from rolling his eyes at his father by keeping his gaze to the gate, displaying his defiance there.

"There are many in this little gathering that are in very good terms with the Uchiha's, and I will not allow anyone to ruin it, even if you are my child." Fugaku hadn't bothered to look at anyone while saying this last part, but Sasuke knew the threat was definitely there, laced in his words, aimed at him, again. It was the same lectures all the time. They never alternated, and they were never directed towards his older brother—to his disappointment.

His eyes flickered to his father's back, swirling with rage; his hands fisted, turning white. _This shit never reversed._ He ground his teeth, compressing them tight, remembering all the times he had to listen to the same speech. And he was growing tired of it.

He opened his mouth to say, why was it always him that got lectured? Why couldn't he ever turn his disappointed gaze to Itachi? But Itachi pushed out his arm in his way, sidetracking Sasuke, and silencing him enough for him to say, "As you wish, father." He was speaking in behalf of both himself and his brother, just like he always has.

It was always like this, Itachi always pulled the same stunt to protect his brother, but Sasuke didn't see it that way. Sasuke saw it as his brother always trying to boost his prestige with their father. And it just made his blood boil every time his brother spoke.

The box abruptly stopped, shaking a little in its wake. Quietly and quickly, the attendant made to open the gate. He cleared his throat. "We are here at our destination." He sounded nervous and ready to get away.

Fugaku and his wife were the first to walk out. Mikoto smiled to the attendant.

Sasuke didn't go out right away. No, he kept to the rear and waited—waiting for his mother and father to gain some distance. Then glared at his brother. "That was uncalled for, Itachi," Sasuke said with animosity.

"Is that the thanks I get for saving your posterior?" Itachi retaliated.

"Don't pretend like you've done me a favor. The only thing you did was save yourself," Sasuke was quick to answer. Itachi didn't retort right away. He let Sasuke finish.

"And don't make me repeat myself time and time and time and again, Itachi. It's annoying. I don't want you to speak for me," Sasuke said with enmity. "I do not care if you speak for yourself, but don't speak for me." His words filled with venom every time he directed them towards Itachi. "If I have something to say to father—whether it is a smart remark, or not—that is my decision."

Itachi looked at his brother, clearly hiding his hurt from his eyes. "You must learn to appreciate, Sasuke," Itachi stepped off the contraption, "before the day comes when it's too late."

Sasuke growled under his breath, wondering what he meant by that. He followed after his brother with a retribution that he was going to get the last say in this fight. But something small prevented him from going any further.

He felt Karin tighten her hold on his arm, hindering him from going after his brother and saying anymore, and glanced down to her. "What?" he snapped.

"Sasuke-kun, do not worry too much. I'm sure your father's words mean well, as well as your brother's."

His night filled eyes intensified. "If you think your words of sympathy are making me feel better, then you need to think again. You presence is only making it worse." He placed a hand on Karin's yanking it off him, and preceding forward.

He didn't care whether he hurt her feelings. He was only with her for the money, not for love, or because he truly wanted to be. He just needed an excuse to get away—and she was just that.

Karin watched him walk away, stunned. What had she done wrong again? It seemed she was always doing something wrong. She never did right, and she couldn't understand why. Why was she always the bad person when it came to Sasuke?

Ever since she first came into the Uchiha household she had begun to feel self-conscious and unsatisfying around Sasuke. Which dumbfounded Karin, because she was never an insecure person, and everyone enjoyed being around her. But this man—this man was different—he made her feel so unlike herself. He didn't give her attention like the other men did. He didn't look at her like all those other men had—full of hunger and want. No, he never saw her as just a body, but as something to gain—like she was needed.

Karin had never felt needed with anyone.

He made all these types of emotions steer inside her—feelings she had never felt for another man. When she had first met Sasuke, she could not keep her eyes off him; he was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen—a living breathing dark angel, she had thought. She couldn't say she hated these feelings. She was in love. And she couldn't let him go—not anymore. She would run to the ends of the earth to forever keep him by her side.

"Sasuke...!" She ran to catch up to him, and collided into him, wrapping her hands around his waist, and holding him close. "I'm sorry..." She closed her eyes; tears threatened to spill. She held him tight like he was her life source she needed to cling onto for dear life.

Sasuke stopped, feeling he was at a juncture. He felt the woman's touch without really feeling it. He didn't say anything, and Karin wondered why. Slowly, she peeked around him to look at him, and found a sight she had come to know. Sasuke's antagonized expression.

"Sasuke-kun?" She released him. At first she had figured it was because of her, but soon she realized that he hadn't even noticed her presence, let alone paid attention to her. _Why—?  
_  
She turned to look at who he was looking at.

A blond haired boy stood with two others, and they all looked very—_very_—familiar.

_The people from before,_ she had identified, confound to see them there. _And I'm certainly not the only one that noticed them,_ she supposed as her red gaze came up to look at her ill-tempered fiancé. She glanced back to the three, fretful for their safety.

The blond was looking upset about something while speaking to the two beside him. One was obviously a woman with her brown hair pulled up in two buns and in an ankle length red and brown corset dress. She wore brown ankle boots with black leggings. The other, she couldn't make out.

The person had a very small and skinny, but curvy body that looked very feminine under that large worn white button up and brown pants with patches, and overalls, and cap—basically boys clothes. And his face was not helping his case either. It only made it more difficult to make out if it was a boy or girl for Karin when he had such an alluring face.

_As pretty as a pixie, with mint green eyes so big they looked like a pair of kitten eyes_, Karin subconscious spoke.

_He could definitely pass as a woman if he wanted to—and a very jaw dropping woman at that._ She had never felt jealousy for any woman, but she was beginning to feel a tad bit with this person. _Too bad he is a man,_ she thought, disenchanted. She felt there was no need to feel intimidated by this person any further.

Out of nowhere the blond began to step forward, but the brown-haired woman stopped him. "Don't worry, Naruto," she said, "the girl is fine, see." She gestured to something Karin had no clue about.

But the other boy—the one in the corner, quietly observing—the one with the hat—didn't seem to think so. "No, you're wrong. There is definitely something not right! We need to stop them...!" Before they could even muster a thought, he was already gone, with a speed that outmatched a horse, running past Karin and Sasuke, leaving the pair and his friends dumbfounded by his actions.

"Hey, Sakura!" The blond ran after his friend, pulling away from the brunette.

Karin was so confused. _Why was there so much drama? Just what was going on here?_

Sasuke's chest began to rumble as his anger steadily increased. "_YOU_!" He grabbed onto Naruto's jacket, holding onto it tight, right before Naruto could get away.

Naruto ricocheted back. He grunted at the pull, falling on his ass, surprised at the act that had befallen on him.

Karin gasped, covering her mouth. "Sasuke!" But Sasuke ignored her.

"Naruto!" Tenten's voice rang out from behind.

Naruto groaned and looked up at the person still holding onto his black jacket. "What the hell do you think you're doing!"

Suddenly they heard what sounded like a large assembly yell. Everyone turned to it, surprised. They heard numerous familiar voices.

Sasuke's eyes bugged out. He was so engrossed by the scene.

"Ino?" The question left his lips, as loud gasps erupted.

The blond inhaled sharply, forgetting about Sasuke. "Sakura!" He expertly twisted out of his jacket and ran into the pandemonium, leaving Naruto now in only his gray button up and black pants and overalls.

"Move it grandpa!" Naruto pushed through the crowd.

Sasuke cursed, looking at the now empty jacket. He had forgotten all about the blond idiot. _Well I'll be damned_, his mind worked around the words. _I abandoned my purpose for one second, and that straw haired idiot took the chance to escape from my clutches.  
_  
This was the first time he had ever seen anyone pull a stunt like this man and that other boy with the hat. He stood his ground, tossing the jacket. "That worthless human being," he said frustrated. Nevertheless he turned to the source of the cluster now worried for the blonde woman, Ino.

* * *

Shikamaru was just stepping into the large floors of the lobby, when he saw a small fight that turned into a big one, and yes, he was particularly worried about what may ensue if someone did not break up the fight soon, but that was nothing compared to how the lazy genius felt once he saw who was standing like two feet away from the fight.

For a moment he lost the ability to hear as he saw Ino. Shikamaru had forgotten that he was with a bunch of people and that he was just about to meet his fiancé for the second time today. It was like he couldn't think about anybody else but Ino. She was the only thing in his mind—and right now, Shikamaru was panicking to death (figuratively speaking of course), but that's how he felt. He was just so worried to death.

"Ino!" His body moved by instinct, but stopped at the sight of another—very small—person jump in the way of Ino. The small human being's mint eyes filled with a blazing fire Shikamaru had never seen before. It left him stunned to the core.

_Who is that person?_

* * *

The move was instinctive. She saw the mysterious man lift his fist, and she did the first thing that came into her brain. She jumped right in the way, pushing the other girl back. She moved her hand up, minutes before the man could hit her. She caught his fist. The slap of flesh hitting flesh registered in the room.

Everyone stilled.

Sakura's burning mint eyes flicked up and a growl left her lips. "You idiot!" She socked him, wiping that shocked expression from his face as he fell in pain.

The hit was very oppressive and strong, almost as heavy as a two hundred pound male's, Sakura could just tell by his dazed look. "How dare you attempt to strike a woman! If you want to fight then go do it outside on the deck where there won't be any civilians you may harm! You could throw each other into the ocean and die for all I care!" Sakura kicked the man in the side. He cried out in response.

With a huff, she turned away from him and looked down at Ino. She bent down to her level, the ship officers were already there to whisk everyone involved away. Some men ran, and were chased.

She smiled to Ino, giving her a hand. "Are you okay?" she asked with a small voice.

Ino was still shocked by all this, and belatedly broke out of it when she looked at Sakura. "You saved me...?"

Sakura giggled, faintly. "Yes. Sorry 'bout shoving you, however. But it was the only thing I could think of so you wouldn't get hurt." Sakura rubbed her neck. "I do hope you can forgive me, given the fact that I saved you and all."

Ino's mind was so uncooperative. It was taking her a while to function things properly, as well as to speak back.

"Um, hello," Sakura looked worried, and waved a hand in front of Ino's eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Hm? Ah, yes... Yes, I'm sorry." Ino grabbed her head, and grabbed Sakura hand after. "Thank you for saving me." Sakura helped Ino lift herself up.

She grinned from ear to ear, her emerald eyes shining. "Of course."

Ino blinked at the beauty of it. "You're a _woma_—" She never got to finish, because Sakura was then grabbed from behind by a ship officer. He was trying to handcuff her.

"What—_hey_! Let go!" Sakura began to struggle.

"Stop fidgeting you imbecile! How dare you attack an heiress! I'm putting you in the brig where you savages belong!"

"But I didn't do anything wrong! Can't you see I was trying to help?" Sakura twisted and turned her hands from him in order to get them out of his grip with no success.

"Sakura!" She then heard Naruto's voice through the throng. He was trying to get through the horde with no success.

"Naruto!" she shouted for him. But her back was turned from him so she couldn't see him. However, she knew he was there, not that far from her.

In that moment, Ino saw the problem, and got to her feet. "How dare you! Unhand that person right now! Did you not just witness this person saving my life?"

"B-but—"

"B-b-but," Ino mimicked. "Are you questioning me right now? Do you know who I am? I am the heiress of the Yamanaka Company! My father could have you thrown off this ship if he wanted to and still get paid for the good service he has done to this ship! Now emancipate this person right now!"

Aroused, the ship officer did as he was told. "Absolutely. Right away, ma'am." The man quickly released Sakura, backing away from the blonde heiress before something terrible befell him.

"Ino!" Her mother ran up to hug her daughter, kissing her forehead; her father adjacent to her.

"Mother?" Ino placed a hand to her mother's arm, surprised.

"Are you alright, dear?" Her father came up to her to touch her face, looking for any signs of bruises.

"When?" Ino looked confused. She hadn't seen them coming, or there for that matter.

"We had heard the loud ruckus and decided to see what was all the commotion," her father informed her. "I'm glad that we did too. Are you hurt anywhere, Ino?"

"No. This person saved my life." Ino gestured with her hand to Sakura.

Her parents turned to look at who their daughter was referring to.

Her father smiled, warmly at Sakura, seeing her for the first time. "I see," he said.

"Thank you so much for saving our daughter," Ino's mother then spoke. Sakura could hear the worry in her voice easing a little.

"Are you alright?" Ino came up to Sakura then, and put a hand to her arm.

"Uh—yeah," Sakura rubbed at her wrists, "just sore." She smiled up at Ino, and her parents.

"I have to apologize. I never thought such a thing would transpire to my savior after everything you have done for me. Please, you must let me repay you."

"Oh no, that's not necessary. I only did it because it is wrong for a man to hit a woman." Sakura waved her offerings away.

"Oh but we insist," her father persisted.

"Yes! You must let me repay you! I now owe you a debt, and a Yamanaka always repays its debts. Now come along."

"Wait bu—" Sakura never had a chance to decline, when Ino grabbed her by her hand and whisked her to some other unknown area Sakura didn't know about. Unaware that by saving Ino, she—Sakura—was leading yourself down that road of love, regret, and a passion she had never thought could be possible with an aristocrat man.

She glanced back unable to find her brother or sister any longer. She had no clue what had happened to them, and hoped they were alright.

But before that, Ino had paused to look at a brown hair male, speaking sternly, but lazily to a couple of ship officers and pointing towards the direction the five disruptive males were being dragged off. His eyes looked fierce as he told the other men—very carefully—what to do. "I want those men cuffed and securely caged in until we arrive at our destination in New York, where I want authorities to take over right after!" The male shouted to the staff.

"Yes sir!"

"Right away, sir!"

The other responses of the staff came back.

_Shikamaru,_ the blonde girl then thought, feeling an abundant feeling press at her heart. Shikamaru turned to her and their eyes met, before she turned away. She didn't have time for this. Ino continued towards her destination at hand, determined to repay Sakura. But he never allowed her to get too far.

"Are you hurt?" he called out to her, causing her to halt.

_Only in my heart,_ she wanted to say. She turned around to him and forced a smile on her face. "I'm fine."

"They didn't hurt you anywhere?" Shikamaru took a step towards her, but stopped. The distance was maddening.

Ino shook her head. "No. I'm just fine. No broken bones. You could say I feel as strong as an ox right about now." She showed him her skinny arms, flexing it. However, she could say the total opposite for her aching heart.

He wanted to say more, but retrained himself. "Good," the word came out airy. He couldn't say anymore because he was convinced he wouldn't leave her side after if he did. He had to let her go. He did let her go.

"Come along," she chirped to Sakura, who looked confusedly between the two. She could feel the strong tension in the air surrounding Ino and Shikamaru. She couldn't exactly describe it, but it was deep filled with so much history and passion that it clung to you.

She glanced behind her at the man still watching them go.

"You did the right thing," Shikamaru heard, tearing his eyes away from the two girls. He looked to his father.

"To you maybe, but I just feel like a piece of me has just been ripped out of me." He clutched at his heart, squeezing it to stop the ache. He definitely didn't want to go through with this wedding.


	5. Chapter 5: The Wall

****Don't Ever Let Me Go****

**Chapter 5: **_**The Wall**_

**Author's Note:** Maaaa... I personally don't know what to think of this chapter. I took up so much time trying to fix it and make it better than it originally was that finally I just felt satisfied after the fourth draft. I still feel like fixing it, but I won't...perhaps in the future maybe. So anyway, tell me what you think y'all—once you're done that is.:D And also, I'm sorry for those of you waiting for a Naru/Hina moment, but this one is all Sasu/Saku. But I promise the next chapter will be filled with Naru/Hina...and some Neji/Ten as both couples finally meet!xD

****Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or the Titanic!**

* * *

"Ow... Ow!" Sakura's voice rang out in the room.

They were in Ino's outrageously large and elegant room, with beautifully painted walls and exquisite one king sized bed only meant for her alone, and paintings so striking they looked exclusive and out of this world, not to mention the clothes, and flowers, and seating areas. The whole place was five times as big as Sakura's small chambers. It was really a lot to take in for Sakura, if only she wasn't being crushed to death at the moment.

"Madam, will you stop fidgeting!?" asked the maid working on Sakura. She had not only bathed Sakura, but she had done her hair, nails, and now was currently dressing her too, or more like asphyxiating her.

"But I can't help it! You're crushing me!" Sakura bit out. She had never felt so suffocated in her life.

"This will be all over. So suck it in dear!"

"I'm already sucking in! At this rate you are going to be the death of me, woman!" Sakura's flamboyant complaints just got louder.

Meanwhile, Ino just waited on the other side of the dressing screen, swinging her leg that was over the other, sucking on a grape. She heard the maid give a satisfied sigh. "Finally," she said. "You look gorgeous my dear."

"Yeah? Gorgeous enough to almost get killed!" Ino heard Sakura say from behind the screen.

Ino smiled. "You're done?" She got up to see for herself. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let me see you." Ino was feeling zestful. She had known all along, from just seeing Sakura's face, that she was a woman. Yes, she had doubted herself at first, but once she had asked Sakura personally, and had gotten to know the girl a little, just by her personality she had known.

"Okay, okay. I'll come. But don't laugh if it isn't what you were expecting." Ino could hear Sakura's already disappointed voice getting closer.

"Nonsense!" Ino was already smiling. "I would never laugh..." She trailed off as she saw Sakura. Her mouth was slightly agape. Yes, she had known Sakura was definitely a girl from the beginning, but seeing it now was…breathtaking. Sakura came out with all her pink hair pulled back into a low bun and with a diamond encrusted forehead band, wearing a gorgeous silky ivory gown that hugged her voluptuous hourglass figure, with vine like designs that made patterns all the way up to her upper shoulders on the see-through lace, and down to the bottom of the skirt of her gown. Her breasts perfectly puckered up by the dress. It was a wonder how Sakura hid them under those male clothes from before.

"It's horrible on me, I know." Sakura looked away from her shocked expression, sad.

"What—no! You look beautiful," Ino was quick to defend. "I have never seen someone look so gorgeous in my life… Well, besides Hinata. But you're just stunning!"

"Really?" Sakura looked surprised, and blushed. "Thank you..." She rubbed at her arms, shyly. She didn't know what to say, so Ino grabbed her and maneuvered her to the mirror. "Here. Why don't you take a look for yourself," Ino said feeling that Sakura would believe it more if she saw it personally.

At the sight of the dress, Sakura was left speechless. She had never worn such a lovely dress, only ever seen them through the window of a really expensive store that only the rich ever walked into, as she passed by. But never had she thought she would ever be wearing one until now. "It's gorgeous," Sakura said, touching the mirror. The dress brought tears to her eyes.

Ino stepped closer. She too had changed into an attractive sky blue gown with a sweetheart neckline. Her blonde hair fell in waves down her shoulder, as part of it was tucked behind her other ear. "You're gorgeous. And I'm sure the other guest will think so too! Now come on!" Ino grabs her by the hand with her own gloved one, and quickly runs through the room, and out of the door.

"Ino wait! I can't run that well with these heels on!"

"You'll be fine! But we are late!"

"Ino!"

* * *

As they passed through the halls, Ino and Sakura both came to a grand staircase; the same grand staircase that Sakura had saved Ino from being beaten by an angry man. Sakura had never really looked at the place clearly before too busy with saving someone's life, and was getting a good glimpse of it now. Her mint green eyes wander around in awe. She glanced up at the dome like ceiling that looked like it were made out of alabaster, then directed her gaze to the little lit lamps to the side, on the red wood and gold encrusted walls that looked like glowing flowers, and after to the clock in the middle of the wall, where the two staircases intersected into one. There was a wooden carving of cupid down below, where the staircase met with the marble floor, ending. _This is…wonderful. It almost feels like a dream._ She had never felt so prosperous in her life than today.

Patiently, Ino stops Sakura, holding her back by her hand before they fully reached the bottom. Sakura looked to her in question. Ino looked like she was substantially thinking about something. She bit her lip, glancing down to the white polished marble floor.

"I can't help but want to thank you again, Sakura." She glanced up to Sakura with so much gratitude filling her sky blue eyes, as they glossed over. "Thank you Sakura. If it wasn't for you, I don't know how that event would have turned out."

A kind smile spread across Sakura's face and reached all the way up to her eyes. "You're welcome Ino." Sakura cupped both Ino's hands. "And I would gladly do it again—for anybody. I don't like seeing any one, or anything getting hurt in general, and I would do just about anything to keep someone innocent safe."

"That is such a pure way of looking at things. Nothing compared to how the usual aristocratic outlook that I've been raised around. It is nice to have diversity for a change." Ino smiled back.

She then wiped under her eyes, and stiffened, clearing her throat. "Now," Ino said, bringing back that rich air about her, and straightening Sakura's back and dress. "Remember you must always be dignified and beautiful as a swan, and fragile as if you would break when lifting something," Ino informed Sakura as they began to ascend down the stairs. Sakura listened carefully as if this was a new job she had just gotten. "You must act like you have all the money in the world, proud and filled with pride for yourself, even if you don't, they don't know that, so don't show them your venerable side."

There was just so much to learn. Sakura couldn't help but think how _fake_ these people were to one another as Ino continued to speak. Ino told her not to show her true emotions, to always keep a smile, even though sometimes they weren't really happy, and to never tell these women or men her truest and darkest secrets, because they could never keep a secret for long. News spreads like a disease in this society of people, and people were always gossiping about each other at every corner. There was no one in here that was your _real_ friend. "Except for me," Ino informed her. "I and Hinata are probably the only saints in this field." Ino laughed, complacent.

Sakura watched her speculating if that was true, but still, nonetheless smiled. Ino hasn't showed her anything, at the moment that Sakura would find as not trustworthy or kind. Sakura would trust her for now, even though Ino was one of _them_, and not someone like _her_—from her status. And there was also her sister. Sakura knew that by doing this, she would be angering her older sister Tenten, because, out of all three of them (her, Naruto, and Tenten), Tenten was the most prejudiced against the wealthy. She _loathed_ them, and had always warned her sister and brother to never get involved with them. Well, little did they know that this one moment would forever change their lives. Sakura would soon be forever dragged into this world by a single dark angel.

They strolled to the large room filled with many wealthy guests, eating, laughing and greeting each other like as if they gave a damn about the other person.

Ino met everyone, waving to some, and speaking to others. Sakura felt awkward and out of place with her while she walked around with her in this war zone full of stares and whispers. She felt like at any moment a bomb could go off in there. It was maddening.

Ino placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Relax," she said. "They are just staring at you because they have never seen you, and because you look stunning in that dress. Plus, your hair color is something they have never seen before. It is divine. You stand out." She squeezed in a soothing way. "And you are not alone. I'm here with you, remember?"

Sakura recognized the balminess in her words as she stared up at her new friend. Tentatively, she nodded once. "Yes, I know."

Ino grinned, and coiled her arm with Sakura's as they progressed again. "But I must know how did you get your hair in that color? It is beautiful, like a pastel pink I have never seen before."

Sakura touched her bubblegum pink hair. "I have no clue. I have always had this color since I could remember, ever since I was born."

Ino looked interested. "How bizarre…" She then moved on, pointing out people and telling Sakura about them as they went.

The first person she pointed out was a tall man wearing glasses with a pencil mustache and goatee and a scar on the upper side of his cheek, by his glasses, and standing next to him was another younger man that looked like the splitting image of him only his face was ridden of any hair, and he had no scars either.

"See those two?" she asked Sakura.

Sakura nodded. "That is Shibi Aburame, and right next to him is his son, Shino Aburame. They may look creepy, and very quiet, but don't worry. They are much more than that," Ino muttered into Sakura's ear, starting to gossip.

Sakura lifted a perfectly lined brow, wondering how exactly this was supposed to make her feel better.

Ino stifled a giggle. "I also heard they have a whole farm full of insects on this ship as we speak. They are insect collectors you see, and the riches ones in the world at that."

Sakura gawked back at them, grossed out, unconscious of the shadow creeping up on them.

"Yesssssss, and their works are just fffffffffffassssssssccinating," spoke a sinister voice from behind them suddenly, sending shivers down their spines, unsettling and startling them.

Both girls cringed, and turned to look at the spooky man. He was pale—as white as paper with onyx hair that reached to the middle of his back, and eyes as yellow as a reptiles. He looked like a snake with purple eyeliner that distinctly ran down just at the verge of his nose. He was so close, like practically in Sakura's face.

He was still speaking. "Like for instance did you know that by just the tiniest sting of a Japanese giant hornet's poisonous stinger a person would not only go into anaphylactic shock, but also renal failure, not to mention its poison sizzles your skin alive, and then _kills_ you." He was so sickeningly friendly it made Sakura uncomfortable. "I for one find these deadly creatures _captivating_. However, I seem to find the poison of a sssssssssnake much more intriguing. I just enjoy the way they ssssstrrrrrriiiike first to paralyze their victim, before constricting them until they would pluck the oxygen from their targets, and then eating them whole…finishing the job. Don't you agree, little Ino?" He placed his arm around Ino. He had a dark and nerve-wracking aura about him.

Ino faked a smile. "You always seem to find such extraordinary stories that just make me stray away from you so much more, Orochimaru-sama." She shrugged him off, unnerved.

The man chuckled under his breath. "It is because I always enjoy your reactions whenever I tell you about my experiments."

Ino cringed at the memories. She gave him a hard look.

But he paid her no mind after. His gaze then crept to Sakura. "_My_, and who might this beautiful young lady be?" His body slid towards her like a serpent. "I have never met you before...?" He touched her face with both his hands as if studying a new specimen, never giving her enough time to object. His hands were cold—hair rising by the touch.

"So soft...like a baby's bottom," he complimented her skin, only it came out so disturbing, like a predictor complimenting its next prey. It made her feel uncomfortable, as if she were being observed by some scientist. She wanted him to get away.

"Um...thank you." She moved her hands up to push his hands away from her.

And even though she had succeeded in removing his hands from her, he never gave her the space she wanted. He touched her hair next to which he was very gentle when doing so, like he didn't want to damage his new…_discovery_. "And this hair...I've never seen such unique hair... It is so cute and _pink_. It brings out those emerald eyes of yours. Another interesting feature," he smiled, wicked. "Where on earth did you get it?"

"I-I was born with it." Sakura touched her head, moving away. She didn't want to be near this man whatsoever. He was just too clingy, and usually Sakura didn't mind, but there was just something about the man that was just so disconcerting.

But the man just didn't seem to get the message. "What is your name my little flower?" He stepped along with her. He was beginning to intimidate Sakura.

"Her name is Sakura. And we were just leaving." Ino seized Sakura's hand, sternly; angry at the way Orochimaru was acting with Sakura.

"Sssssssssaaaaakurrraa. Such a pretty name," he said to them. His lips curled up at Sakura. "We shall meet again, my tiny cherry blossom." He waved to her, laughing heinously under his breath.

"Oh, and Ino…" he calls out to her. She turned to look at him. "I had heard about your deadly encounter that had happened earlier today. How unfortunate for such a thing to happen to you... I am so happy you didn't come out with a scratch. You should be extra mindful now, in case something like that ever happens again." Every word he used, and just the way he said it, just made the blonde believe he was warning her of a next encounter to come.

She refrained from showing her fear, deciding better to get as far away from the man as possible. She dragged Sakura along, who looked just as spooked.

"Are you alright, Ino?"

Immediately upon losing him from sight, Ino turned to Sakura. "Sakura, stay away from that man. He is bad news. If he ever asks you to come and join him for some tea, say no. Do not follow him anywhere alone. He is not someone you want to go near—ever."

"...I understand, and from the moment that I met him, he gave me an unsettling feeling, so I wasn't planning on it. But why? Who is he?"

"His name is Orochimaru, and he's a blood thirsty man that relishes in rare items—even if they are humans. He finds anything that catches his attention as worth having. He is a mad scientist—truly, I believe he's insane—that is fond of his experiments, and those he likes to experiment on are uncommon creatures—or anything that catches his attention. And he has so much power that anyone that ever defies him ends up missing. He has followers—more like worshipers everywhere he goes. You need to stray clear of him. Understand?"

Sakura quickly shook her head. She was even more daunted now.

Ino looked relieved. "Thank you," she says. She then exhaled—the kind that someone does when something has been lifted off their chest, and smiled at Sakura. "Come on." She grabbed her hand, looking like her old self again, refraining from thinking of that serpentine. "I want to show you more famous people."

Sakura was glad for the change in atmosphere, and appreciatively followed along. "Okay."

Ino gave her a kind look. She looked forward. "Oh look!" She pointed, excited. "That is Lee and his father Gai standing over there, they are the world's greatest trainers. Their reputation in any type of physical activity is legendary, and the gray-haired male beside them is Kakashi Hatake; he is Gai's oldest and closest friend and rival. He helped make this ship a reality too." Sakura turned to look at where Ino was pointing this time. She made a face. She thought, _okay, the gray-haired old man looked decent, but the other two..._

"What's with the matching shiny bowl haircut, thick eyebrows, and tacky bright green suit?"

Ino giggled. "That's just the way they are. They like to think of themselves as unique and out of this world. They have the longest record of running all over Europe without stopping."

Sakura turned to her, shocked, disbelief evident in her eyes. "That's not possible. How could anyone do that without any sleep?"

Ino shrugged. "I have no clue, but they did. Moving on," she said, glancing to another group.

"That woman over there is Kurenai and the man beside her is her husband Asuma Sarutobi. His family has owned countless plantations all over America since the early 1700's. At present they have one baby boy." Ino waved at them, smiling falsely.

Sakura stared at the two absorbed. There were just so many remarkable characters in this party. She then wondered if perhaps this was how their parties always were, and if they were, they weren't _that_ bad. But it was the next group that left Sakura's controlled aspect looking flushed and squeamish—or more precisely the male left her feeling fussy and red.

Ino spoke, "And those people standing over there, speaking separately to different individuals are the Uchiha household and the Hyuga household. Their bloodlines have been known for ages, alongside the Uzumaki's and Senju's."

"Why?" Sakura asked. "What's so special about them? They don't look so special. They just look so bitter and emotionless. It's kind of sad." Sakura continued to stare as the two families avoided each other, sometimes even glaring at each other. They were the complete opposite of how her family was. They didn't smile and they didn't show any kind of caring emotion for their acquaintances or family, they just looked distant—from everybody.

"Well, you are not that far off. They are actually the way you describe them, but that is because it is in their traditions to not show their emotions or get close to anyone. They are always so closed and detached, and only open up a fraction when it comes to business, but that is all. Except for Hinata, and Shisui, and Mikoto, they are the only exception." Ino gestured to the three, just so Sakura could know who they were.

Sakura craned her head, and saw a boy—Shisui—with messy spiky dark Uchiha standard hair and a bit of tanned skin, with soft black eyes—laughing alongside a man much taller than him with the same colored eyes, only the other male's hair was long and tied back and he had bags under his eyes, but they seemed to fit him, and made him look that much handsomer. Sakura then looked at the dark-haired woman beside the main head of the Uchiha household. She didn't seem cruel, but sweet, with a warm smile to go with her. She was looked sublime, and she definitely didn't look like her age.

Lastly, Sakura's eyes landed on Hinata with her lovely white and lavender colored dress that matched her eyes. Her blue-black hair was pulled back in curly waves. She was a splendid sight to see.

And it was then that Sakura's eyes practically bulged out at the sight of the Hyuga. _That's the same woman Naruto was looking at! _She calmed, breathing out a breath of air. _So that's Hinata._ Who knew she would be the same woman her brother had been eyeing all this time? Sakura then saw that the woman wasn't alone, but with an obnoxious looking gray-haired man.

"They are the only gentle hearted ones in the two households. And the reason all four households are so special is because they hold royal blood in their veins," Ino carried on.

"Really?" Sakura's eyes shined. "So they are like princes and princesses?"

Ino snorted, so unladylike of her. "Yes!" She covered her lips with her gloved hand, snickering at the excitement in her friend's eyes.

"I've never met a royal before," Sakura confessed. She eyed each and every one of their beautiful faces, wondering if there was at least one that wasn't good-looking, and that's when her stare landed on Sasuke.

Sakura inhaled sharply. "W-who's that?" Her stare was fixated on the attractive raven haired male with sharp feature and deep and abyss-like eyes that she felt she could just splash into like a pool of dark water. He was handsome, taciturn, and just as unpleasant as his family, but there was something different about him, like he was waiting for some excitement to come his way. Like he was waiting for someone to come and take him away from this hellhole.

"That?" Ino gestured towards Sasuke. "That is Sasuke, Sasuke Uchiha, he is the youngest son of Fugaku Uchiha, the main head of the Uchiha family and household, and that woman beside him is his fiancée Karin Uzumaki."

"Oh…" Sakura sounded thwarted even to herself, and she could hardly fathom why. She hadn't noticed the girl until Ino pointed her out.

Ino saw this, and said comfortingly, "But do not worry—dear. He's really not the type to like."

"Why do you say that?" Sakura continued to stare at Sasuke.

"Because he is not the good-hearted type, Sakura. Sasuke is cruel, cold and hateful. He hates and finds anything that does not have money worthless. Trust me. He will only ever hurt you." Ino glanced away to search for someone else to talk about, but Sakura wasn't listening anymore. She continued to give her full attention to the boy in front of her. He looked bored, like he'd rather be anywhere else. He had Sakura spellbound by him, when suddenly, his eyes flicked up to hers.

She was so shocked she could hardly look away.

When their eyes met it was like her world suddenly stopped. Sakura was stuck on only his stare, in eyes so black they looked like the night sky. Everyone—every noise—every feeling other than him and her slow breaths were gone—completely and unconditionally gone.

Breath.

"Sakura..."

Breath.

"Sakura..."

Breath.

"Hello, Sakura—dear—are you alright?" Ino waved in front of Sakura's face. Sakura detached her eyes away from the boy.

"Ah, um, yes?" Sakura put a hand to her temple; the ability to hear coming back to her.

Ino grinned at her friend. "You didn't hear a word I just said, did you?"

"Not a single sentence," Sakura replied, smiling guiltily. "I'm sorry."

Ino laughed. "What am I going to do with you if you end up falling for the enemy?"

"The enemy?"

"I'm kidding," Ino said. "I was kidding, Sakura!" Ino hugged her.

Sakura chuckled. "Yes, of course you were. I should have known."

Ino shook her head, still humored. "Come on. Before you two eat each other up with your stares." She snickered, seizing her hand, and advancing to another direction.

Without complaint Sakura followed her. She turned back to look at the raven haired boy, only to see his stare still on her, watching her with those intense midnight eyes. She quickly looked away; her heart still pounding in her chest, deafening to her ears. After that, she lost herself in the sea of people.

Not a minute later they heard a loud bark of a laugh, she and Ino turned to it. It was a tall man with white hair so long it reached up to his lower behind. It kind of looked like he had stuck on a porcupine on his head and wore it as a fashionable hair decoration. He was crowded around a group of countless unknown people, laughing at something someone had said. A blonde woman with large breasts and with a very pretty face and golden eyes stood near him, too snickering.

Ino grinned seeing the curiosity in Sakura's face. "Those two are Jiraiya Uzumaki and his wife Tsunade. He is a very famous author of a…err certain book." Ino's eyebrow twitched. "But the old man is just a pervert. There is nothing great about him or his books. If there is someone you should steer clear of, besides Orochimaru, it is that perverted old man."

As if on queue, the old man's head snapped up and he turned towards their direction. A large, creepy smile played across his face. "Ino!" he shouted from the other side of the room, coming towards them. "It's so good to see you and your wonderfully developing body! I can already tell you breasts are going to be as beautiful and big as your mother's! I can just see it!" The old man was swiftly hit on the head by an ash tray.

"Don't say such things to such a young woman, Jiraiya, or you might wake up with nothing dangling underneath." A vein was popping out on Tsunade's forehead.

"I'm sorry my Queen of Sheba," Jiraiya apologized trying to kiss Tsunade. She slapped his face away. "Don't touch me, you old perverted fool!"

Sakura looked worried, but Ino just giggled. "Don't worry. They do this all the time."

"All the time?"

"Yes."

"Then why are they still together if they're always bickering?"

Ino looked amused. "They may always look like they are fighting; but actually, they are the most affectionate couple here, and the oldest that are still head over heels in love for each other. They have been together since they were children, as _is_ their child with his wife." Ino looked envious. "I'd too like to have a relationship like that one day…" There was more into Ino's words then she intended.

She then pointed out their son, a blond-haired man that looked to be in his thirties with the same cerulean eyes Naruto has. _Naruto?_ For a minuscule second Sakura thought it was her brother, as her eyes broadened. She found herself riveted by the resemblance this man and Naruto had. But then shook it off as Ino told her his name. His name was Manato.

Her mint orbs then landed on a woman with violet eyes, and fiery red hair so long, it reached to her upper thighs; Ino called her Kushina.

"Ino!" she was tackled by the busty blonde woman. "It is so good to see you safe. We had heard what had happened to you and were worried." Sakura couldn't tell if the older woman was feigning it or not, because she truly looked sincere. She thought, _either she's a real good actress, or she is telling the truth. _

Their group from before followed them, flocking them, all with their own troubled, yet fake expressions.

"Yes, I too am happy everything turned out alright," Ino replied looking relieved.

"That's good."

"And who is this lovely lady?" Jiraiya's loud voice boomed out, his black eyes staring down at Sakura.

Sakura gazed up at the man that towered over her, feeling introverted. _He's really tall_; she looked amazed.

She was going to reply when Ino interrupted her. "Everyone, this is Sakura...Sakura _Dulson_."

Sakura quickly glanced to her friend. _What?_ She knew Ino knew that was not her name. She had told Ino her name was Sakura Haruno, not Dulson. Just what was her friend thinking?

Ino gave her a look saying go with it. Sakura frowned, but didn't say anything, as Ino continued. "Yes her father is a rising entrepreneur in France."

"Oh really? How interesting…" A random voice said. The two girls turned towards it. Sakura's eyes expanded half a fraction at who she saw, while practically choking on her saliva. While, on the other hand, Ino hadn't a clue as to whom this person was.

"And who might you be—"

"Sai!?" Ino was interrupted by Sakura's voice.

"Who?" Ino turned back to Sakura, surprised to see that her peasant friend knew someone of her status.

"He is a boy I met on the deck by coincidence. I didn't think he was anyone special though."

Sai smirked, stiffly—again. It seemed he could never properly push out a real smile. They were always stiff or too fake to be called real. "Yes, I remember, you were defending that boy. What was his name? Naruto?"

Ino's and Sakura's faces paled in color. Were they really going to get caught lying on the first day?

"Oh, so you two have met already! Wonderful, wonderful! That just leaves little of introductions then," Tsunade said. "Everyone, this is Akasuna no Sai and his older brother Sasori. They are the top two rising painter and Sculptor from this day and era. They designed the art work of this ship." Everyone clapped, murmuring to each other about their fantastic works. Sakura went along, completely caught off guard. _He was a famous painter? How did I not know that with the way he painted his pieces so well and all!?_

"Thank you. Thank you. You all are far too kind," Sasori bowed to each and every one of them. "But really we couldn't have done it without the brilliant mind of the Nara's. Where are they?" Sasori looked around to find Shikamaru and his father.

"Ah," he spotted them. "There they are! Over there hiding in a corner, as usual, trying to stay the farthest away from a loud crowd!" Sasori chuckled, calling them over. "Shikaku, Shikamaru, please, why don't you both make yourselves comfortable and come join us? In fact why don't we all make are selves comfortable and sit down?"

Ino noticed that Shikamaru and his father weren't alone. His mother was there and so were Kankuro, and another blonde woman and two other males Ino didn't know. But of course Ino never found it weird. People all over the place were congratulating the Nara's for their outstanding workmanship and for creating this ship: the Titanic. She never figured, not once, that the blonde woman standing beside him could be his fiancée. She saw Kankuro, and with great grace, waved towards him.

Everyone spoke out their agreements, as they each found a seat by the many tables littering the area.

Soon after that she moved away from Sakura, grinning from ear to ear as she made her way to Shikamaru. Feeling much better now that they had spoken to each other earlier that day.

Sakura stood there, wondering where to go, when Sai came to stand beside her. "So, I am pretty sure all of what that one woman said was a lie."

Sakura looked to him, unsure of what to say. She couldn't just straight up lie to his face, and tell him Ino wasn't lying—that she was in fact rich. He had seen her in her peasant clothes.

"Yes. But I never agreed to it. In fact I am also as astonished. I never thought Ino would do such a thing." She grabbed onto his suit. "Please don't tell!"

Sai, moderately, put his hands on her hands, pulling them off his suit. "Don't worry. I don't have plans in exposing you." That bogus smile still plastered on his face. "I find your little game of lies quite entertaining, and as long as you keep me entertained I will keep my lips sealed." He held out an arm for Sakura. "Now, shall we take our seats? It would be weird if we just stood here all day while everyone is sitting."

Sakura understood, and nodded, taking his arm. Once she turned however, Sakura was met with a big cushiony, and might she add _delicious_, wall. Grunting at the impact, she thought, embarrassed, _oh no! Please be a person! Please be a person! Please be a person! _But once she touched the wool fabric of the _wall_, and slowly began to pat all over it, her thoughts began to drift from a person to, _please be a wall! Please be a wall! Please be a wall! _She shut her eyes. She was dumbfounded to find that this '_wall_' had an amazing body. She next, unexpectedly pushed back. "Sorry!" She tripped on her skirt and was now falling.

A surprised sound left her lips. Destiny just couldn't wait to embarrass her. Nevertheless she was caught before she could even hit the ground. Large, strong arms held her tight and close till their bodies were touching ever so diligently.

She couldn't help but have a dirty mind and think how well their bodies fit together. She glanced up at her rescuer, thinking—hoping it might just be Sai and not that _wall_. But what she was met with were ink filled eyes that were just out of this world. She felt she had seen these midnight eyes somewhere before in a crowd. But the memory left her as she continued to gaze into them.

He seemed to also be in a trance. "...Are you alright?" The male's smoky voice came after, sounding oh-so-good to her ears.

Sakura finally broke out of it as she tried to get out of his hold and regain her footing. "Yes," she held her head like she were about to see the world in spirals if she didn't correct it herself. "I'm sorry. I must have lost my footing somehow," she said.

"It's fine as long as you're careful next time," his tone suddenly changed, sounding flat. "Ladies aren't usually supposed to be clumsy and trip all the time." He placed his hands in his pockets, giving her a look over. "Correct yourself and make sure you're aware of your surroundings before colliding into someone next time."

Sakura lost that modest smile. It was like glass shattered in her mind. Something about the way he said it so condescendingly really set Sakura off. "Yeah well, I'm not a lady. So you can take all those words and shove them right up your mmm...!?" Her words were suddenly lost and muffled.

Sai put his hand around her mouth right on time, before she could finish her sentence. He chuckled a bit humored by this girl and her street filled ways. "I'm sorry Mr. Uchiha, but this girl has a mind of her own. Sakura can't seem to control that mouth of hers as much as she tries."

She was trying to say that she didn't give a damn. She would say what she feels like, and she desperately wanted to tell that guy to fuck off! But Sai prevented her from doing so.

Sasuke was by far surprised at this woman, and the nerve of her. He had never, in his life, had met a woman corrected him by saying she wasn't a lady. She certainly caught him off guard. He quickly hid his expression and looked sullen.

He leaned down to meet her hostile mint green eyes. He held a wry smirk. "Well…_Sakura_, maybe it is time you learned to fix that dysfunction about you _too_. Don't you agree?"

Sakura muffled a _what!?_ And began to struggle in Sai's hold and did the most unexpected thing Sasuke would have ever seen a woman do, she flipped him off with her one free hand, looking delighted by her action right after.

Sasuke lost that malicious smile at the sight of it, and then broke out in hysteria, laughing, the sound of it was pleasant to the ears, and it rang throughout the room, stopping _everyone_ from doing whatever they were originally doing. _This woman! Is undeniably something else! _He held his stomach about to fall over.

Sai released Sakura, as Sakura stared at Sasuke in marvel. _Was this guy mental? I just flipped him off! How is that the least funny?  
_  
But Sasuke ignored the stares. Never in his life had he laughed so hard, and everyone else knew this as well. That's why when Karin noticed this she frowned and blinked towards Sakura wondering how on earth had Sakura got him to laugh so hard on their first meeting, when she couldn't get him to simply chuckle in three months...

"Sasuke-kun," her words were lost in the sea of whispers.


	6. Chapter 6: The Lily and the Thief

**Don't Ever Let Me Go**

**Chapter 6: _The Lily and the Thief_**

**Author's Note: **Awh! I'm sorry for those of you expecting a long chapter. I already had written this chapter ahead of time, and felt that it was perfect where I had left it, in its own suspenseful way of course.

**Summary: **Come aboard on the ship of dream, where friendships are made, and the rich and the poor collide, and new and old love blooms, until the tragic day arrives where the Titanic sinks. Naruto AU! Sasu/Saku, Neji/Ten, Ino/Shika, and Naru/Hina.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or the Titanic!

* * *

Hinata had seen Ino and a very attractive girl she had never seen before, walking around the dining room, and she was going to go and say her hellos, but she was currently in a pickle of her own. Standing before her was another suitor today. Her father was very serious about this. It seemed that he was beginning to rush things just so he could find the perfect match for his daughter. He had told her that he expected her to meet with at least two a day just so she could get _"acquainted"._

So that's exactly what Hinata was doing right now—following orders—and getting _familiar_. She had been standing with the man, with a smile plastered to her pretty face, listening to his constant gibberish about himself, about her, and about their future—like they already had a future. Hinata was beginning to get a little uneasy about this one, but hardly showed it.

"I am glad I give you those kinds of feelings, Mizuki-san," she said to the man. Mizuki had shoulder length gray hair, and sharp black eyes. He wore a black suit with a silver bow tie. He was said to be the son of a very wealthy man in America. And from what he has told her so far, it seemed his father owned an oil mine. Something Hinata knew her father found useful and brought money to the plate.

"Yes," he said narcissistically, with a wave of his hand. "And just imagine, if you select me, I will always be telling you how worthy you are to be by my side, my lily." He touched her cheek.

Uncomfortable, Hinata moved her face from his reach. "Uh, I apologize. I'm still not used to another man's touch," she lied timidly.

While in the meantime Neji was watching this with aversion. He burned holes in the man's head from behind. He didn't like Mizuki from the moment he had met him in Britain. He was a self-centered man, with an obsession with his cousin Hinata, and Neji knew that the man would do absolutely anything to have her in his grasp—even if those means were illegal.

"Right. Then why don't we get more _accustomed_ and step outside while the night is still young?"

Neji began to worry and stepped off his post from behind Hinata, by the wall.

"Y-yes," Hinata said, stuttering. She was very nervous and guarded with the man, but she couldn't just reject his offer to walk her in the night. Her father would be furious if she did so. They went out, feeling the cool air, chilling to the touch. Hinata felt as little hives crawled up her arms.

Neji followed closely behind, silently observing the man that was trying to get Hinata alone with him, not feeling the wintry breeze. He could already see the bad intentions playing in Mizuki's little bitty eyes.

They walked through the ship silently. Hinata keeping her distance some, and Neji was as close behind as he could get, without making the other man uncomfortable; although, he really wanted to make the man antsy.

Finally Mizuki heaved out a sigh.

"Is there something wrong?" Hinata noticed his discomfort.

He paused and held her back from going any further as well. They were currently on deck in a brightly lit T shaped hallway that led to three different passageways, one to the tail of the ship after passing through another series of white panel doors, and the other right back to where they came from, while the last one—the one adjacent to them—led to who knows where.

"Actually, there is," came Mizuki's frustrated tone. The man couldn't even hide his emotions well. He was like an open book. His eyes flicked to Neji, mortified that the other man was still following them.

"I wanted to get some alone time with you, my lily; but it seems with your friend here always following us, that won't be happening anytime soon."

Hinata stared back at Neji unsure. She didn't know what to say to Mizuki. She didn't want to be with him. Oh God, Hinata didn't want to be with him no matter what. But she knew if the man went to her father, and her father heard of this, there would be hell to pay.

"I am just saying—my lily—that if we are going to be bound together for all eternity, we might as well get accustomed to one another, alone," he added.

When were they going to get bound? Her father hadn't yet approved of their marriage thus far. Where on earth was this man getting all these conclusions?

"Nevertheless, as much as you wish that to be—that can't be possible. I am my ladies sworn protector. If anything where to happen to my lady—"

"It's fine," Hinata cut in.

Neji's lavender eyes quickly came to his cousin. "I'm sorry? But my lady I can't allow this!"

"I said it is fine, Neji." Hinata stared up at him compassionate, but authoritatively. His mouth shut in a straight line. "I can manage on my own past here. So do not worry, cousin."

Mizuki had a pompous look on his ugly face. Neji gave him a sideways glance.

But that was the thing, Neji was worried. He didn't trust this man at all. He had bad intentions, and Neji knew this, but he had just received an instruction, and as a servant, he must obey his master. "As you commanded my lady." Neji bowed, backing off, and standing to the side.

"Thank you, Neji-nii-sama."

He then watched as his cousin's figure and Mizuki disappeared from view. His dread was etched all over his profile. Everything he did showed his anxiety. He paced back and forth, evaluating whether or not he should go after them, and trail them from the shadows. Finally, when fifteen minutes passed, they still hadn't showed. Neji couldn't take it. He began to move. He had decided. He didn't trust this man. He was going to watch them from the sidelines. And maybe then he could feel at least a little at ease.

He had made it to an open area on the deck, not too far from the closed in hall with open windows that looked out to the black open sea. There were benches, and a white metallic stairway in the indistinctly lit area. He didn't even take his first step, when he heard the loud footfalls of countless people running, and the ringing whales of men shouting for someone to stop.

"Stop! Thief!"

Neji turned back to see what was going on. He saw what looked like a burglar: a man dressed all in black, covered from head to toe, panting, and coming towards him, through the hall he had just come from. He was running so fast his feet literally slid as he turned to the side, by a white hamper under the stairs. Only this man had an impeccable body that resembled that of a girl. He wasn't too small, and he wasn't too tall either. He was just beyond compare.

The burglar chuckled. "This is just too easy." It was a woman's voice. She dumped the contents of whatever she had in the hamper, and then did the unexpected. She began to strip in front of Neji.

And in that moment, something told Neji to stand back in the obscurities and spectate.

* * *

Hinata walked in the night with stars so bright, they left her wondering how many thousands and thousands of more are out there in the galaxy. She continued to rub at her shoulders as the temperature began to drop, steadily. She puffed out air from her lips, seeing her breath in the air. It was really frigid outside, and the idea of a warm bed and blanket waiting for her in her room crossed her mind.

Mizuki stood in front of her, and opened the last gate to the back deck of the Titanic. As she looked, she saw that there was no one else on the deck. They were all alone, with only the lit corner of a lamp on the wall giving their candle lit area a bit of glow, and the full-moon up above as their only companion. She gazed at the countless rows of benches, wishing there was at least someone there to keep them company. He turned to her with a sickeningly sweet smile. "My lady," he gestured for her to continue further.

Hinata swallowed, not wanting to move any further, but still progressed anyway. Alarms were going off in her mind the farther she got with this man from any civilization. She was getting an unfavorable feeling. This man was beginning to send her bad vibes, and Hinata just hoped this would end soon. She watched him, nervously, right up until she travel by him, and her gaze went forward.

Sheepishly, she reached his side, only to feel the touch of his hand on her shoulder, startling her later; his fingers as bleak as frost itself. The act felt wrong. It was unexpected, and made her jump and take a step back to the railing. "M-mizuki-san...?" She covered herself with her arms. "W-what a-are you d-doing?" The thought of controlling her voice never crossed her mind anymore.

"Hinata." He followed her; the tone of his voice was now stumpy and terrifying. His eyes darkened, they looked lecherous, and he gave her body more attention than he should. It made Hinata feel nasty and sick, like there was something wrong. "You cannot tell me you did not see this coming, my lily?"

_What?  
_  
He walked towards her until she could feel his musty breath on her skin.

She took another step back, only to hit the bottom of the metal railing with her heel. Her arms spread out to grab the upper part of the railing, right at the last-minute before she lost her balance. She glanced back petrified. Her eyes fell upon dark nothingness. "W-what are you talking about, M-mizuki-san?" Her lavender gaze came back to him. She could hear the heavy roars of the oceans waves down below her, and it didn't provide any comfort like it did in the morning. No, on the contrary, it was just as inconceivable and morbid as this man staring at her. She hoped with all her might that he wasn't thinking of doing anything to her while they were all alone. That he did not have any kind of immoral intentions that she was beginning to anticipate he was beginning to have.

"Don't play coy with me, my lily." Hinata was beginning to hate that name he was always calling her. It didn't make her feel pretty. It made her feel nauseated every time she heard it.

He exhaled, sounding almost lovingly as he touched her dark hair. She cringed. "Ah, you're so bewitching. From the very first time we met in London, and I had seen you, I fell in love. With your unobtrusive manner, and how you always give no mind to those below you. I appreciated how little attention you gave me and others, and knew in that moment that we were meant to be." He was so cheerful, and pretended like he knew Hinata so well. When in fact Hinata had no clue as to what he was talking about. She never saw those below her as garbage. She had always greeted her maids with a big smile, and always thanked them for their hard work. So she didn't know what he was referring to when he said she didn't like those below her.

She liked her maids, they were the only ones in the household that held any type of emotion, and kept her company since she was a new-born. They kept her sane, and she loved that about them. They were family. She was never so cold-hearted as he described her. If anything the only reason she paid him no mind at that time was probably because she didn't see him while he was watching her from who knows where. Possibly even stalking her in London. He was a creep, and he was beginning to rattle Hinata.

He was still speaking as all of this was going through her mind. Her breathing was beginning to heighten.

"And now, I will make you mine. I will give you the pleasure I know no other man will ever be able to give you. And you will have the fulfillment of being my woman for _life_." His words came flooding in jumbles, like it were a typhoon suddenly splashing her face first. Her face paled in color. _What was he saying!?_ She didn't have time to dwell on it.

He ripped her dress before she could even react, exposing her under garments and breasts even further.

She screamed. "W-what are you doing!?" She attempted to cover herself.

Fear struck her like it was second nature. She didn't want this. She didn't want him. She wasn't ready to give her all—especially not to this man. She began to thrash. "No! No! Please no, Mizuki-san! Please stop! I don't want this! I don't want to be with you! I don't want to give myself to you!" She pushed him in vain. But she hardly made the man buffet. He held his ground. He grabbed her wrists, pushing her deeper into the railing. It was cold and hard, and it made her back ache. The thought of this really being reality crossed her mind.

"I believe you do not have choice, my dear lily. Because, you see, once I deflower you, your father will have no other choice then to give you to me. There will be no other bachelors for you to see!" Mizuki laughed maniacally. "This moment will be forever etched in our lives as one of the greatest moments in history!"

"No!" Hinata struggled.

It all happened in the matter of seconds. He lifted her dress, ripping some fabrics from his way, and squeezed her thighs so hard she was sure they would bruise. He picked her up till her butt was on the railing.

Hinata screamed so loud she could have sworn it reached land. Her body hung so far out that all she could do was hold onto the railing for dear life. Why? Why had she left Neji behind? Why did she not bring him with her? She knew he was worried. She knew all he wanted to do was to protect her from this vile man. But she didn't let him. All because she cared about what her father thought. How stupid she is. Tears stained her porcelain face, feeling like icicles on her cheeks. _I am going to get raped and die,_ she thought. She closed her eyes afraid and helpless. There was no one that was going to save her now, and it was all her fault.

Suddenly, just when she was going to give in, she heard the call of her savior. The most captivating voice Hinata had ever heard. And her only hope and salvation.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?"

* * *

**A/N: **AHH! I just love these endings! They get me all excited to write more whenever something like this pops up. Anyway, leave a review if you want the next update as soon as possible. Like let's say the next day?;P


	7. Chapter 7: Princess and the Street Rat

**Don't Ever Let Me Go**

**Chapter 7: _Princess and the Street Rat _**

**Author's Note: **Aaaaaaaaaannnnnnddddd like promised, I posted—again!xD And as an extra bonus I also made this chapter extra lengthy!;3

Enjoy.

**Summary: **Come aboard on the ship of dream, where friendships are made, and the rich and the poor collide, and new and old love blooms, until the tragic day arrives where the Titanic sinks. Naruto AU! Sasu/Saku, Neji/Ten, Ino/Shika, and Naru/Hina.

**Disclaimer: **"JACK!" Lol I don't own Naruto or the Titanic.

* * *

Tenten could probably say she was running for her life right about now. She had her stolen goods in her arm, and she was pretty satisfied. She was passing through the inner halls of the ship, not too far from the kitchen quarters. Those wanna-be officers of the law were right behind her, chasing her. But they were much too far to even call this a chase. She was just way too fast. Living in the streets with absolutely nothing made her one of the fastest street rats in her town. If anything she was making this a game of hide-and-seek, as some of the ship officers checked some rooms they passed. She chuckled as she looked behind her, seeing a ship officer's head pop out from a room.

"I found him!" He pointed. "He's over here! This way!" She saw more heads bob out.

"Catch me if you can, suckers!" Tenten laughed louder, the thrill of the chase filling her up to the bone. She loved the feeling of her muscles pulsing from under her as she sprinted. Her breaths came out moist from behind her mask. She kicked off a wall as she turned a corner. She was in another hall now, only it was outdoors, and on top of her was deck A, where the upper class was only allowed. She could hear the sound of a party going on. A crafty grin came to her face, but it was hidden by the cloth on her face. "Let's see you all try and get up here," she uttered, placing her goods in her bag that hung on her back, tightly secured. Tenten took a step back. Then ran up the railing closest to the sea, and with her foot she touched the very first metal pole, pushing off, and jumping to catch the floor of deck A. She caught it, hanging onto it like a chimp; she scaled it, grabbing one metal railing at a time, until she was fully over. She saw the ship officers finally catching up to her, only this time they were below her, unable to touch her. She snickered.

"Where is he?" One looked around.

"There he is! Up above, on deck A!" They finally noticed her, looking up.

Tenten waited, resting her arm and cheek on the railing, her other just dangled over the railing as she watched them. "Finally," she said, indulged. "I was wondering when you all would notice."

"Thief! Get down here!" The main officer shouted, running to stand before the others.

Tenten snorted. "No. What kind of stupid thief do you think I am?" She leaned away. "You're just going to have to catch me in order to get me to obey you, which is _never_ going to happen." She left. They shouted for her to stop. But Tenten continued onward.

"Damn you thief! Someone go get me a chair! I will get that thief no matter what!" Tenten heard, smirking.

"Pfft! Armatures," she laughed, going to the other side of the ship, as she heard him mandate his officers to go to the other side of the ship, and some others through the party, without making the guests cognizant of what they were doing.

Tenten scuffed as she saw all the wealthy guest inside, crowding the lavish room. "Snobs." She would rather die than to be caught inside one of those tedious places, where all the rich acted like they were better than you and bragged about how much money they had in your face, while the women whispered behind your back. And she knew her siblings would never be in a mind-numbing place like that. She had climbed on the railing and now sat on it. She was preparing herself to jump, but froze. The only reason she had stopped herself from jumping down to the bottom of the deck to the other deck was because of a pink blur she had seen from the corner of her eye. Tenten could have sworn it was Sakura. However, when she glanced up to scan for the bubblegum set of hair, it was gone. She thought _perhaps it was my imagination. _She held onto her head.

She laughed numbly.

_My brother and sister wouldn't come to these forms of merrymakings. They like excitement, and these parties never usually are... Plus they would never betray their word to me... Would they? _Tenten hardly knew the answer to that. But she would like to believe they wouldn't disappoint her after everything she's warned them about these people. She's told them many times how devious and devilish the rich were and always are. They are not your friends and if it benefits them, they will betray their family if it means money.

_I should know._ Tenten looked to the tiny scar on her wrist, permanently there for the rest of her life. _I too am a victim.  
_  
She turned back to the celebration—hoping—searching for the pinkette—and praying she wouldn't find her in there. She didn't want the same thing that happened to her to happen to her siblings—specifically her little sister.

Regrettably she never had time to dwell on it, when she once again heard the shouts of the ship officers coming towards her from underneath. She removed her hand from her head, ears perked up like as if they were dog ears. Instantaneously, Tenten forgot about her sister, and refocused on what she should have been thinking about all along. Her get away.

Giving the festivity no further thought, Tenten jumped from her place on top, to the ground, like a parkour or free runner. It was exhilarating, the jump. It almost made Tenten feel as if she were flying—for a split second.

She landed gracefully on her feet with her hand bent to the ground as she crouched down. She quickly got up, glancing up, and to the noisy men.

"Stop! Thief!" The ship officers' looked like tiny specks from where Tenten was standing.

She grinned. "With a pace like that you all are never going to catch me."

Mildly, she fixed herself, calming her mind, and breathing an audible breath of air. She opened her eyes, and bolted to the end of the hall, where she saw the deck of the ship expand. She turned a corner to a hamper she knew would be there, and with haste dropped her catch of the day. It was tightly secured in a white cloth that resembled the many white drapes inside the hamper. She chuckled, "This is too easy." She closed it, heedless that she was being watched. She also dropped the bag she was carrying onto the floor. It made a low thud noise. And glancing both ways, towards the dark end of the ship, and towards the gaping hole from where she had come from. _Time was of the essence_, her mind spoke. She began to strip.

She took off everything: her hat, her mask, her long sleeve, and her pants, leaving herself in only her underwear and boots, exposing herself without a care in the world. Tenten was in the nude. Her ivory skin nicely shown under the moonlight, and the breast that were once hidden were now exposed. Then she quickly put on her red dress, dumping her other clothes into the ocean, not caring that she may look dishevel to the officers when they came. She came back to her spot, still oblivious of the intense lavender eyes staring at her with a hint of disbelief evident in his eyes at the scene he had just witnessed and still was.

"The hell?" One of the ship officers said. "Where the hell is he?" They looked around, and saw Tenten.

She put on a show, and looked—to them—frightened and startled.

"Miss, are you alright?"

The main ship officer came up to her, looking a little worried for her wellbeing. Tenten and Sakura always had that trait in common. They always exuded a frail, innocent, and puppy like state to others—specifically to men—that always fell for their tricks, and in the end, they'd give them the exact reaction they wanted.

Tenten shook her head, tears threatened to show as she hugged herself tightly. "No," she let out. "I was walking when suddenly a man dressed in all black attacked me and tossed me to the side...! I'm so lucky I heard your shouts coming along or else… I don't know what would have become of me." She covered her eyes. Empathy showed in the ship officer's face.

"I'm sorry to hear that miss. But you must tell us—which way did he go? Did you see which way he went?"

Tenten swiftly nodded. "Yes! The man got scared and ran away that way!" She pointed to the opposite direction of where they currently stood, and towards some stairs.

"We thank you for all your help, madam, and hope you feel better. Come on, gentlemen! We have a crook to find!" The ship officer shouted to the rest of his companions.

Tenten refrained from bursting out laughing. But once her coast was all clear, there was nothing stopping her from cackling to her hearts content.

"What simpletons!" She held her stomach.

The joy that radiated off of this woman was one Neji had never seen before. He was infatuated by the sound that came out of her lips like a bird's little melody. She turned around to collect her winnings from the hamper.

Neji examined her flawless acting, and found that something about this girl bothered him in ways he had never thought something would. This feeling was completely different from how Mizuki bothered him however. To put it simple everything this woman did bothered him. From the moment she came onto the deck dressed like a man, running like she were a man—to stripping down till she exposed her _all_ to him, unlike any lady he had ever seen—to the way she had that triumphant look plastered on her face after she had literally lied through her teeth (professionally) to the ship officers as those bumpkins fell for her charm.

He was by far irritated. _This isn't a lady! This is a caveman stuck in a body of a woman!  
_  
"Yes!" Tenten pulled out her content she had dropped into the hamper and held it high in the air, victoriously.

Neji couldn't take this anymore. "That's called stealing you know." This wasn't a question but the truth. He stepped out from his spot in the shadows by the corner of the ship.

Tenten gasped, surprised, looking all over for the voice. Her ember eyes landed on the tall and cat-like grace of Neji's body.

_I hadn't even seen him!_ "W-who are you? How long have you been there hidden in the dark?"

"Long enough to see _everything_." The sound of his deep but smooth voice left his lips.

Tenten face reddened a crimson red. She took a step back. Her face then showed her embarrassment. _This man said he saw everything… meaning he saw my nakedness as well...!  
_  
And as Tenten watched him now, she could see a clear and all-concurous look in his eyes. It displeased her.

"And I could easily report you right now," he says soon after, crossing his arms.

At first Tenten was stumped. But then it changed, her expression turning cryptic and overbearing. "No. You're not going to do that. You know why?"

Neji was alert.

"Because you're a gentleman. And I'm a lady that you just saw undressed without her permission, pervert. You practically saw a free show, and for that, we're even."

"Pervert!? I am nothing of the sort! And _even_? Please, enlighten me. How, per-say, are we _even_?"

"A man that hides in the shadows to watch a gorgeous woman changing is what most people like to call a pervert. So, yes, you are most definitely a pervert. But I don't really mind, because you got to see an exquisite body, and I got dinner for tonight. So—we're even." She waved the bulging cloth up in the air, her happiness literally emanating off of her.

Neji exhaled, then smirked, sinisterly. "I have never met someone so conceited with herself that she'd even call herself _gorgeous_ and _exquisite_ like she knows that's what she is. And then, to top it off, she calls me a pervert, so freely, like that is true! I can already tell I don't like you," his words were vicious and antagonistic.

Tenten shrugs, coming to sit right beside him. "Yeah, yeah, ask me if I give a flying fuck."

Neji couldn't believe his ears. "I beg your pardon? What did you say? And what are you doing!?"

Tenten had made a sandwich while he was blabbering on and on. She had her mouth open ready to chew. She paused, and looked up to him. "I'm eating. Why you want some?"

"You cannot eat that! Those are stolen goods! Give it here! Give it here!" Neji felt this was so frustrating. It was like working with a child. He struggled to get the sandwich out of her hands.

Tenten moved her hands up and to the side. "No! This is mine! I won it fair and square!"

"There is nothing fair about stealing food!"

"Well if you've lived where I have, you'd know that stealing is the only way to survive!" Tenten pushed him off.

Neji grunted. "Fine! Keep your stinking reward, as you put it! But know this! The next time I catch you in the act of stealing again, I will not hesitate to turn you in, understand?"

"Fine." Tenten didn't care. It wasn't like they were ever going to meet again. She was happy with just this—her cheese and ham sandwich that she couldn't wait to taste its blissful taste, like heaven in her mouth. She was about to take her first bite.

"Fine," he said.

She paused, glaring at him.

_Oh no, he wasn't about to take the last word._ "Fine."

"Fine."

"Fine!" Tenten yelled.

Suddenly they heard a piercing scream.

They both turned to the same direction.

"What was that?" Tenten got up. She felt a wave of discomfort crawl down her spine.

"Oh no...!" Neji never answered. "Hinata!" He ran towards the scream.

"Hey! Wait up!" Tenten followed him. "Don't just suddenly run in towards the source! What if it's one of those sirens the sailors are always talking about?!"

* * *

Naruto socked the man. He socked him right on the temple. The guy was out the moment Naruto's fist had landed on his face. Mizuki fell to the ground.

Naruto had seen the whole scene play out by coincidence. He was smoking a cigarette, minding his own business on a bench, lied down, and wondering what had become of his little sister. He was worried, and was desperately trying to find her with no success. The good news was that he had found out that she wasn't taken prisoner by the ship officers like the rest of those other jerks. He himself was pretty lucky not to have gotten involved, or else, he too would be in that room like those morons. His older sister Tenten had told him to drop it now that they knew nothing bad had happened to Sakura. She had said that Sakura was bound to pop up eventually. But he wasn't satisfied with that. He had to know for himself. He was just about to go look for her with a resolution that he would find her this time, when, suddenly, he heard an earsplitting scream—unambiguously, a woman's scream. He quickly got up to find, not only that same woman he had been looking at that day in the afternoon, but she was also about to get raped—and thrown off the ship to boot. And that's when Naruto had rushed up to help.

Meanwhile, throughout the whole chaos Hinata lost her grip on the metal bar. A gasp left her lips. And she shouted once more as she was careening back. She was falling face first into the deep black abyss of the ocean.

Naruto hands shot out right in the nick of time, he grabbed her hand. He yelled, "Hold on!"

Hinata screamed once more as she swung back and forth in his hold. Her eyes were on the water. They looked so big filled with so much fear. She didn't want to die. She closed her eyes shut tight. "Save me! Save me! Please!"

Her weight was taking a toll on Naruto and was causing him to strain to hold her up that he had to use both hands. "Don't worry! Don't worry! I got you! I got you!" He repeated every word each time. "I won't let go! I promise! I won't let go! I got you!"

For once Hinata believed a stranger. She believed his words. She stared up at his cerulean eyes filled with so much determination to save her. And he didn't even know who she was. It was strange to Hinata. She had never met a man quite like this one. He wasn't dressed too over the top, and he wasn't dressed like a bum either. He was just right she felt. She felt her heart thudding in her chest, as its loud thumping filled her ears, and this time, it wasn't because of the high drop into the ocean.

Naruto was still talking. "But you gotta help me to! Now come on, pull yourself up to! Can you do that? Do you think you can do that, Miss?"

Hinata had recovered quickly, and nodded shakily. She was cold, and looked blue slightly.

"Good," he said. "Now push!" He heaved and pulled. Hinata felt her muscles strain and tense from her arms as she tried her best to do as the man had said. They grunted, as they slowly began to move back together, and he took steps back, bringing her with him; Hinata was sliding back up on the railing.

Finally, she fell on top of him with a thud. Naruto groaned, rubbing at his head. He had his eyes closed. "Ah!" His head ached. "Are you alright...?" His voice trailed off as his eyes suddenly made contact with the most gorgeous and terrified lavender eyes he had ever seen.

"Y-y-yes...!" Hinata shook from under him. She was just as surprised. She felt tiny, like a little rabbit. She was scared and cold and still completely filled with shock about what had just happened. She tried to make sense of it in her head, but her mind just wouldn't work with her. Her eyes began to water again, and she let out a strangled cry. She held on tight to Naruto's jacket, feeling like a child as she wept in his arms.

"Thank you," she says. "Th-thank you so much!" She hugs Naruto with so much intensity. But the blond doesn't mind.

"You're welcome." He barely places his arm around her, when he feels how freezing she feels. "Jesus, you're cold!" He takes off his coat, but he never has time to place it on her before he is kicked in the face and she's ripped away from him.

Naruto groans at the impact of the hit on his cheek. It had missed his nose just by mere inches. "Fuck!" He curses. "What the fuck, man?" He looks up about to charge at whoever did this to him. He hears Hinata gasp and shout for him.

"You filthy animal! How dare you try to harm my lady! I shall have you hanged for your crimes against my lady!" A man that looked like a replica of the woman Naruto had saved stood before him. His lavender eyes were ablaze and his sharp features became tight. He was holding the half-naked woman in his arms. He was the same man Naruto had seen standing by Hinata this afternoon. Neji covered her with his jacket. She looked a bit humiliated at how much skin she was exposing, but completely forgot all about it when she saw Naruto on the ground bleeding helplessly.

"Naruto!" He felt a hand touch his face, affectionately. He knew already, without looking, who it was. It was Tenten. She checked his cut on his cheek, anxiously. It wasn't too deep, but it wasn't a small gash either. She grew mad. "Are you crazy?" She turned on the man holding onto Hinata.

"Woman, I suggest you back away from that savage!"

"Savage?" Tenten was outraged. "That's my brother! And Naruto would never do such a thing to a lady! He has manners!" She glared at Hinata. Then back at the man. "If anything it is _she_ that was doing something to him!" she didn't hesitate to point fingers and accuse Hinata.

"How dare you!" Neji took a step forward. Naruto staggered a bit, but made sure to place Tenten behind him. He pierced Neji with a glare of his own. But Neji was unaffected. "I shall have you both incarcerated, for being a thief and a sexual harasser!"

Tenten was ready to spitfire another comment of her own, when Hinata intervened.

"No! Cousin wait!" Hinata pleaded struggling in his arms. She had enough of all this drama for one night. She was just done.

Also, she couldn't let her cousin do as he pleased with the man that saved her. "Y-you don't u-u-understand! This man—this man saved me! He saved me from Mizuki who was attempting to r-r-rape me..." She sobbed. "If it wasn't for him, I-I w-would have fallen to my death into the ocean ... Please, cousin ... D-don't hurt him. Don't do anything that will harm this man ... H-he is my savior..."

Neji listened to all this intently. He couldn't help the loathing that showed on his profile. He covered her some more. He was feeling disgusted even with himself for not being here for her. He turned to the blond. "Is this true?"

"Every word," Naruto said.

Neji didn't know what to say. But he certainly wasn't going to apologize that was for sure.

By then, the guards had come by, and so had Hinata's father and sister. They quickly told him the whole story of what had happened, and while this is being done, Hiashi's stone-cold stare never wavers.

"Take this garbage away from my sight, and make sure his father hears of this," he says with a hint of venom towards Mizuki. "He will soon have to make this up to me through business."

"No wait! _Please_! Let me explain! I was framed! They planned this! They planned this—_together_! I would never do such a thing! Never! Please, don't let my father hear of this! It would ruin me!" Mizuki's voice lost its power the farther they took him away. By the time they were out of sight, so was his voice.

Hiashi's permanent glare turns to Neji and Hinata. "And you," he says to Neji, always treating him the same, as low as a meager slave. "I expected better from you—from the _both_ of you."

Hinata bowed her head. But Neji continued to keep a passive face. "Yes, I should have kept a better eye on my lady." Neji bowed dejectedly.

"You're right. You should have. I should punish you for being so careless, but because of this young man standing here, my daughter is safe and living to see another day." Hiashi looked to Naruto.

Hinata couldn't stand this anymore. Why was Neji getting blamed for her mistakes? "N-n-no f-father, this wasn't Neji's fault! I-it w-was mine! I ordered him not to come with me, even after he tried to reason with me. B-but I wouldn't let him." A tear slid down Hinata's eye.

"You have no place to talk in this matter!" Hiashi shouted at his daughter. She cringed. "You are a _woman_! And you have disgraced me once more! You are no better than a dog for allowing a man to expose you thus far—and you both aren't even married! Now, Neji, take Hinata away, before my patients runs out, and I do something I shouldn't do to a woman..."

Neji did as ordered. "Come, my lady."

Hinata was speechless. She didn't know what to say. She looked away, hurt, doing as she was told. She didn't want to further anger her father. She gave Naruto one last look, ashamed by this turn of events. She didn't know how the blond would see her now that he heard her father's outburst. He probably saw her as no better than a dog as well, she thought. _Maybe it was for the best._ But Hinata didn't want the blond to see her as such. He was her savior. Her little gleam of hope, when she had last thought there was none. _He was different..._ But that was probably ruined now that her father yelled at her. He was probably no better than any other man Hinata had known.

Naruto watched the argument, wondering in the back of his head if he should be listening in on this, or if he should be leaving, because really he didn't care about claiming a reward. The only reason he was still standing here was because of that beautiful girl, Hinata. But now she was walking away, and the one standing before him was an older version of the man—Neji—and another girl that had the same colored eyes as Hinata, but she looked younger with brown hair rather than black. In addition Naruto felt Hinata was much more attractive, with her chest, and curves, and soft milky skin, and even though they all had the same eyes, hers were different, hers just sparkled with this light that set Naruto's heart racing every time he looked into them. He thought he was in love.

"I have to say, I give you my gratitude for what you have done here today," said Hiashi. "Your act of bravery should be praised not scorned. But now it is time to get to the conclusion. Your reward," Hiashi asked.

Naruto's eyes tore off of Hinata's receding figure, and came to land on Hiashi.

"Oh I don't want a reward." Naruto looked bitter. _This old man acts as if he didn't just insult his daughter in every way possible!_ It angered Naruto to see a father that doesn't even worry about his daughter's security or condition, but merely thinks about the state at which her clothes are—like she wasn't about to be raped or thrown off a gigantic ship into the freezing cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

"No, I don't want money from you, old man."

For once Hiashi had an expression other than a deep-set frown. His brow perked up. He ignored the name he called him. "Oh? And why is that? The pay is good, especially since you saved my daughter." The way this boy was looking at him peek his interests.

Naruto scoffed, crossing his arms. "I have a feeling that money is all you think about, isn't it, old man? The thought of your daughter's safety never crossed your mind—not once, am I right? I can already tell how your personality is just by the conversation I just overheard you and your daughter have, and I must say, you're a real piece of work," Naruto spat. "I don't want money from a father so low such as yourself that you even gave your poor daughter such a hard time, because you were _ashamed_ of her. So keep your filthy money, 'cause not even a guy like me—without a dime—wants a single cent from out of your pocket. I did what I did because there was someone that needed my help, but I could bet my left hand that you wouldn't even lift a finger to help a starving child on the street, because you're too greedy with your overflowing wallet. So—once again—keep your money, old man, and I'll just be on my way now. Come on Tenten."

Tenten humphed. "Serves his greedy ass right." She followed after her brother.

Hiashi's face was red, red with anger. Never in his life had he been spoken down to—and especially not by a peasant without a dime! He was so furious; he was seeing red like a bull. His youngest daughter was just as shocked, and did the smart thing and backed away from him, before he accidentally struck her somehow. She had never seen anyone confront her father before, not even those that were well-off. Most people were always scared to even utter a simple word to her father and most of the other branch families' main heads; for fear that they may lose a limb, or money, or worse—their life. But this boy that suddenly popped out of nowhere wasn't intimidated by her father and the stench of power that radiated off of him. Hanabi then wondered if perhaps the boy was either stupid or very brave.

To her amazement, her lips began to perk up. She felt, _now there was something you don't see every day.  
_  
Naruto strolled forward, his grim still there showing on his face. He and Tenten were already far from the back part of the ship, and were now strolling through a hall.

"Sorry about that, Tenten," he said. "I know you must be mad at me because I didn't take the money. But I just couldn't take that guys money! I couldn't! The way he treated that girl—Hinata—just upset me so much! I had to let it go, even though it did sound like a great opportunity to claim some money for America."

"No. I get it." Tenten shook her head. "And I'm proud of you. I think I would have been madder at you if you would have accepted his offer."

Naruto understood. "Right. Because you hate rich people." He shook his head.

Tenten nodded, her stare seemed to have intensified. "Yeah. Because I hate them _all_..." Her voice trailed off.

"Right." But there was one thing Naruto was for certain, he was probably never going to see that girl—Hinata—ever again. And something in him felt crushed about that.

* * *

**A/N: **Oh the suspense! I love it! Haha, review pretty please with a cherry on top.:P


	8. Chapter 8: The Announcement

**Don't Ever Let Me Go**

**Chapter 8: _The Announcement_**

**Author's Note: **Man! I tried to fix this chapter up as best I could, because I feel I could get more high depth into it, but I'm just too tired of trying...=_= Plus I feel like I've made you all wait long enough, so here it is! The next chapter! Hopefully it's not _that_ bad... I'll probably give it more thought in the future, but until then, enjoy! Don't hesitate to leave me some good feedback on this story!x)

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or the Titanic!

* * *

"The order for table number twenty-four is ready!"

"Alright! I'm on it!" Kiba ran up to grab the plates of food along the other waiters. He was currently in the back of the kitchen working as a server, while Choji was cooking the food.

Choji sharpened his knifes as he prepared to cut through a turkey. It was remarkable that Choji's father was the owner of a very preeminent restaurant, or else this would have turned out worse than it already was.

Kiba went out through the white doors leading to the strident room filled with a mass of rich folk. He placed the plates of food down on the table of the right owners.

"Here you go, miss," he says with a calm detachment.

The woman laughing turned to him. "Oh thank you, dear!" She then ignored him and turned back to the person she was speaking to. Kiba acknowledged her thanks, and left in a hurry to get more plates, oblivious of Sakura's presence there.

"Jiraiya! I cannot believe you told her about that!"

"What? It's not like it's a secret." He smirked, having a drink of his fine wine. "Come on Sakura! What do you say; would you like to play a game of cards against the legendary sucker?"

Sakura laughed, "Wouldn't I!" An opportunity to make money any day was a lucky occasion for her. "But I don't know. I'm not so good in that field; although, I do get the basics." She giggled coyly, trying her best to discount a pair of coal-black eyes across from her, boring holes in her head, to the side, like four chairs down from the big table.

Sasuke scoffed, crossing his arms, and sitting back in his chair, hardly believing the pinkette's lies. His lips twitched up, just barely, Karin saw. He disregarded everyone else speaking around him and just concentrated on the only interesting thing in this room: Sakura.

"Really?" Tsunade looked drawn by her words. "So you know the basics, but you're not that great at poker?" Slowly a conspiratorial grin came to the older woman's face. _I could actually win against this person—for the first time!  
_  
"Yes. I'm sorry." Sakura was apologetic and held an afflicted and helpless look on her profile. All fake, Sai observed. He was sitting on her right, while Ino was on her left.

"Now mother, I'd know that look anywhere," said Kushina. She called her mother because Tsunade was in fact her mother-in-law, and she didn't want to go through the hassle of calling her the full title.

"What? What~? Kushina, how could you say I have bad intentions? I have none of the sort." Tsunade waved her suspicions away.

Manato smiled. "No mother, I agree with Kushina here. I think you're scheming something."

"I am not!" Tsunade covered her giggles with her hand. "I just feel that playing against Sakura could be a good experience for her." _To lose!_ Tsunade laughed in her mind, arrogantly. "Don't you agree, Sakura?"

Sakura's smile reached her eyes. "Sure." _Cha~! You're going down old woman!_ Her inner promised, a fist held high, in front of her.

"How amusing," said Mikoto; she sat next to her husband and Itachi, who intern sat next to Sasuke, and he next to Karin. Shisui was by her Husband. "So, Sakura," she began. "I hear from Ino that your father is a traveling business man. May I ask what he does in particular?"

"Oh," Sakura hadn't thought about it. "Uh, he's a..." What could she possibly say? Maybe she should stick to some of the truth, she thought. "He's a doctor."

Ino's head snapped to her. Her eyes were telling Sakura that that was the wrong move to make, making Sakura a bit worried. Was it a wrong move on her part?

"Oh really? A doctor?" She heard Mikoto say.

"Ah, what a coincidence, just like my wife, Tsunade," Jiraiya commented, holding the woman in a tight embrace.

_Oh crap. That's why Ino looked at me._ Sakura finally solved it.

Ino smacked her forehead.

"Ino! Are you alright?" Her mother touched her arm.

Ino glanced up at her. "Ah. Y-yes! Sorry mother. I just had a bit of a headache. But it's enough for me to handle, so don't worry," she spoke quickly once she noticed her parents anxious expressions. They both looked to each other. She could feel Shikamaru's lazy stare on her, just as afraid. She tried not to look at him, even though all she wanted to do was look back, and smile flirtatiously.

"_Okay_," her mother rolled the word. "But in case of anything, don't hesitate to get up and head off to your room if it gets too serious. We wouldn't want you suffering on your own, dear."

"I...will keep that in mind then mother. Thank you."

"However, it's a shame that the boy that had saved you couldn't come." Her mother frowned, picking a mushroom off her plate with her fork to eat it.

Sakura stiffened.

Ino forced a smile. "Isn't it? I said the same thing when he suddenly disappeared from my sight."

"Yes... Well it was probably for the best." Her mother patted her lips with her napkin, delicately. "He probably wouldn't have fit in in this environment to begin with, and would have made everything awkward."

"...Certainly. Perhaps he would have." Ino and Sakura then relaxed.

On the meantime, Sakura was still having her conversation with Tsunade and Mikoto.

"How remarkable, and what exactly does your father do in the field?" Tsunade asked Sakura, now absorbed by the conversation.

Sakura tuned back to the discussion. "Oh nothing…too big, he's just a medicine doctor, and occasionally does a few surgeries here and there. But mostly, my father would create these amazing healing remedies that could just about cure anything." Sakura looked to the side. Her eyes looked like they were focused on somewhere else, on another time than the present. This caught Sasuke's attention. He watched her curiously, because she wasn't simulating that smile she usually does (although no one ever noticed). This look was genuine.

"Is that so?" Tsunade asked, thinking in the back of her mind for anyone with the name Dalson that was a medicine doctor. "Oh," she chortled. "I've met so many doctors I could hardly remember a Dalson." She waved her hand at the direction of Sakura, apologetically. "However, I did once meet a medicine doctor, and his skills were _marvelous_. He was a benevolent man that not only assisted the rich, but anyone that needed it. I admired that man significantly, but I never got his surname, only his first name. It was Kizashi."

Sakura looked surprised at the name. That was her father.

Tsunade's eyes flicked to her. "Could that be your father?"

"Y-yes... How did you know? I never once met you while I was a child."

Tsunade smiled. "He and I once met by twist of fate. He had saved my grandson at one point, when he was a child—and still alive."

Kushina and Manato began to murmur to one another. Kushina's eyes reflected as they blurred with water. "Th-that man was your father?" she asked.

"...Yes," Sakura rejoined. The table was now getting tense.

Manato placed his arm around his wife. "We are so thankful to Kizashi-san. Ever since he had saved our son from that horrible fever, and allowed us at least a bit more time with him, we have always been so indebted. And every day we prayed for his safety, so that one day we could meet him again. But what a coincidence instead we have met his daughter."

Sakura smiled. "What a small world, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is!" Kushina laughed, her laugh cracking with emotion. She hugged her husband, who in turn held her tight.

"Now, now, what's up with all this crying? We are here to rejoice, remember?" Jiraiya tried to lighten the mood, but even he was being afflicted by all this. "Come now! Let's change the topic! I'm sure my grandson wouldn't want us to be lamenting for him! He'd want us to be filled with joy and happiness! The child was always cheerful you see," he says to Sakura.

"He sounds like a wonderful child," she replies. "Now," she smirks, "how's about that game, Tsunade-sama?"

"Yes! Why not! Right after our meals!"

A new voice interrupts their conversation.

"Your dinner, miss."

Sakura's senses peaked. _That voice!_ She knew that voice. Her head snapped up to the person.

She gasped. "You!" she and Kiba said at the same time. _Kiba!_

He almost dropped her plate at the sight of her.

_Sakura?_ She looked different. She looked like a girl! A very beautiful rich girl! What the hell is going on here? Since when did she get loaded?

"Is there something wrong, Sakura?" Mikoto asked.

"Yes, has the waiter done anything wrong?" This time it was Fugaku. His piercing glare came up to Kiba. He was ready to get him fired, everyone could see.

Sakura and Kiba sweat dropped. "Um. no." How was she supposed to get out of this one? Unpretentiously, her gaze wandered on everyone, and lastly to Sasuke's guarded stare. What was she supposed to say? She had no one to help her.

All of a sudden, she turned to her food, as an idea impulsively crossed her mind. _I got it!_ She savagely took a big bite of her food, causing a series of gasps to erupt from the women and some men. "I was just about to ask this waiter if I could meet the chef!" She spoke with her mouth full. She swallowed. "His food is just to die for that I have to thank him for his hard work!" She had spaghetti sauce on her chin.

Sasuke choked on his drink, stifling a laugh. _Who was she kidding with that half ass stunt?_

"Here honey," Ino cleaned her face for her. "This is why we have napkins, remember?" she hissed in her ear.

"Sorry!" Sakura whispered back.

She stood up, and gripped Kiba's wrist. "Please show me the way, dear sir." She pulled him along.

"Sakura?" Ino glanced up. "Where are you going?" Naturally, that wasn't the question Ino was really asking, but who is he?

"I'll be right back Ino." Sakura sensed it, and with her eyes she tried to tell her that she knew him as a peasant.

Ino shook her head once. "Okay." She watched them go. And then her eyes shifted to Shikamaru who was currently speaking to kankuro and his father and brother Gaara. The female Temari was quietly listening to what they were saying. She was sitting beside him. To his other side, his right side, sat his father and then his mother. Kankuro's father and Shikaku were pestering him about something that Shikamaru exhaled loudly about.

She had been watching him for quite some time now, with her baby blue eyes invariably drifting to his frontage, wanting very badly to speak to him.

When she had gone up to him, Shikamaru wouldn't even utter a single word to her when she said hello. He couldn't even say a proper greeting, because he couldn't look her in the eye. The only thing he did was say, "Ino...hi. Um—this is Temari. Temari, this is my childhood and closest friend Ino." It broke her heart to see him so inaccessible, and taut to get away. Even when he asked if she was okay, it still didn't sound right.

"Alright," the tone of his voice was apathetic. "I get it. I'll announce it." He got up, picking his glass cup up with him and a butter knife. But before that, he gave Ino a look filled with so much apology. It scared Ino.

He knew she was staring at him, and it was only a matter of time before everything came out, and he would never be able to hold her or have her close to him again. He turned to Temari, and held out his hand for her. "My lady," he said.

She smiled up at him, her cheeks held a tinge of red on them. Trustingly, she took his hand.

Ino's breath hitched every time she breathed in. _What was that look about?_ Deep down, she knew why. She knew what was going on, what was going to happen next, but she just didn't want to know. She didn't want to hear it. She had mocked ignorance for a reason. She wasn't ready to give him up to that—to that woman she didn't know!

He clanged the knife on the cup three times. "Everyone…" The whole row of people shifted to him.

"I have an announcement."

_No...!_

Her hands clenched on the side of the table. She tried to keep a calm aspect. But how was she supposed to stay calm, when the man that she loved was forcibly being ripped from her hands. The room began to crush her as it moved in. She shut her eyes, unflinchingly.

_Please, don't do this Shikamaru. Don't do what I think you're about to do...! Don't do this to us...!_ She had never felt like crying so much till this day. But what Ino didn't know, was that this feeling would be very common in the next four days on the Titanic.

Shikamaru took a very long pause. "I'm getting married!" He finally announced.

The crowd cheered. Some people even came up to the two to congratulate their happy wedding.

Ino didn't know what to do. She just sat there, rooted to her spot unable to focus on anything but the three words that rang out of Shikamaru's lips.

_This wasn't real—this wasn't true,_ she kept telling herself.

There were some, however, sympathetic looks that glanced her way. These were mostly from Uzumaki's.

Her parents on the other hand looked happy for Shikamaru. They rose from their seats and clapped along with the rest of the people.

"Ino," her mother said, bending down to her, bringing Ino back to life. "What are you doing? Aren't you going to congratulate your best friend?"

"Oh," Ino looked dazed. "Um… yes." She stood up alongside her mother.

"Well then what are you waiting for, dear? Let's go pass on good wishes to him!" Her mother was practically radiating happiness. It repulsed Ino. At this very moment she wanted nothing to do with her mother. She just wanted to get away, to run. She was beginning to feel sick. She needed some air. The room was beginning to rush in on her, and she was beginning to feel a sense of claustrophobia. Tears pricked the back of her eyes. She was afraid she wasn't going to be able to hold them in any longer.

"Um, actually mother, I'm not feeling so well." She wasn't lying; she was feeling a little faint now.

"Oh my. You don't look so well, Ino dear." Her mother touched her paper white face.

"That's because I'm not. May I please be excused?" Ino asked her mother and father, who also looked worried.

"Absolutely. Don't worry about all this. We'll tell Shikamaru your condition, and your congratulations. You just worry about your health," her father returned.

"Thank you, father..." She bolted out of the room at the chance.

While in the meantime, Shikamaru abstains himself from running after her and clutched his fists as an alternative. He turned his back on Ino's withdrawing figure and tried, devastatingly, not to watch her go, for it would only make the feeling to run after her grow so much more.

He continued to grin as people told him their felicitations, never dropping that veneer he held for them to see.

Ino couldn't hold it anymore. She broke down once she made it out of the room. Her tears spilled like a water fall. How could this happen to her? Her life was perfect. She had everything going for her. She had two parents that loved her, money, and many great friends. But that didn't matter, because the one thing she wanted the most was now gone. He was currently being ripped away from her. What was Ino to do now? She felt like she had absolutely nothing now. She felt like she was alone in this world.

And the bad part about it was that he looked so happy too! Ino couldn't take it. Where was her pair of arms to cry in when she needed them? She had nobody to comfort her, and it hurt her even more to think about it.

"Ino!" Just then an apprehensive voice called out to her, panicked. It was her light. Her pair of arms; she fell into them, willingly, weeping in them till her heart's content.


	9. Chapter 9: Something She's Not

****Don't Ever Let Me Go****

**Chapter 9: **_**Something She's Not**_

**Author's Note: **Hello lovelies! My apologies, I would have posted this chapter three or two days ago, but I had a little crisis out here in the world that led me to postpone.:( But I've made time now, and guess what? I'm posting!:D So here it is—chapter 9! I really liked this chapter and I hope everyone else does too.:3

****Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or the Titanic!**

* * *

"Alright, now speak!" Sakura crushed Kiba into the wall the moment they were all alone and away from all the workers. They were in a hallway used only by the staff.

Kiba glared at her from under her hold. "I should be telling you that! What the hell is this, Sakura? Since when did you get loaded?"

Sakura shushed him. "Shut up! Someone could hear you, dog breath idiot!" She hissed in his ear.

"Well, what do you expect? You can't blame me from freaking out when you look like _this_!" He gestured to all of her. "I mean you look like an actual _girl_! And not some gender bending freak you usually like to play off every time," he spoke back just as low. "I can't even remember the last time you wore a dress and looked like a girl."

"That was because I was trying to find work like you guys!" She shook him. "But enough of me. Kiba, what the hell are you doing on the Titanic? Weren't you supposed to be trying to make some cash to pay off Naruto?"

This time Kiba had no words. "Um...err well—you see...that's a very good question, and one I have a very good answer to."

Sakura leered up at him. "You sneaky little bastard! You tried to sneak away without paying a cent, didn't you!?" She didn't know what came over her. One moment she was holding him by his shirt, the next she was strangling him half to death. "Answer me you little shit!" She shook him over and over and over again.

Kiba couldn't breathe, he was turning purple. _She's going to kill me...!_ He was seeing a white tunnel. _No Kiba, don't go into the light,_ his subconscious called out to him. _Come back! Come back!_

"I-I'm s-s-sorry...!" he says. "I-I won't do i-it a-again...!"

Sakura growls under her breath. "God damn you, Kiba! I knew you wouldn't keep you promise—like always—and runaway like a coward!" She released him, and he took a big intake of air, and coughed, grabbing his throat.

She towered over him, one hand at her hip. "I at least hope you didn't bring poor Choji into your mistakes as well."

"To late for that," she heard Choji. He was coming towards them.

"Choji?" Sakura stared at him questioningly. She turned back to Kiba. "Kiba! You didn't!" She held onto her head; she was beginning to feel the sensations of a headache coming along. He was always doing this, bringing poor Choji into his messes.

Choji chuckled. "Sorry to disappoint, lil Sakura. You look really pretty by the way."

She removed her hand from her head and looked to him. She had forgotten about how she looked.

"Um. Thank you." She fidgeted. It was still uncomfortable to be in this garment in front of her friends.

"Where'd you get it?"

"I-it was borrowed."

"Ch-yeah! You mean more like stolen, right?" Kiba rubbed at his throat on his spot on the floor where he sat.

"No! A friend let me borrow it!"

"How did you make friends with a wealthy person?" Kiba got up. He had a complicated look on his face. "Unless...are you selling yourself now, Sakura? Yeah...that has to be it. That must be how you got that crown, and that really nice dress. One of those guys must be buying you right now." He rubbed a hand on his chin in thought. "Perhaps it was the guy sitting right next to you...?"

Sakura was thrown off.

Choji was just as taken aback. "Kiba! Why would you say such a thing to Sa—"

A deafening slap boomed through the hall shutting him up.

"How dare you," Sakura looked daggers at Kiba. Her hand was still up in the air, trembling, and his face was turned to the side. His cheek stung. His expression was stupefied.

"I would never sell myself to ANYONE!"

Kiba grew mad. "Then what the hell are you doing there? You don't belong there with those people!" He touches her dress. "This! This isn't you!"

"I don't care!"

"You're in there right now pretending to be something you're not! You're showing these people a side of you that isn't you! You're showing them what they want to see! Not who you want to be, Sakura!"

"Ugh! Kiba! You are not my father to be telling me what to do!" Sakura paced back and forth. "And since when did you care, huhh?"

"I have always cared!"

"Yeah? Enough to run away on a ship just so you could get away from your friends 'cause you owe them a little money!" Sakura shook her head. "You're despicable." She turned to walk away.

"Yeah, I may have tried to get away from you guys, but at least I'm not being someone I'm not!" He shouted after her. But Sakura never stopped.

"Aw, Sakura! Sakura wait!" Choji felt guilty. He tried to halt her. "Kiba, why did you have to go that far?"

"Ah, just let her go. She deserved to hear it."

She tried to keep her tears from falling. "Stupid Kiba…" She swiped at a stray tear. "He doesn't know what he is talking about...!" She blinked them back till her eyes were dry again. She had turned the corner and was standing with her back to the wall, breathing fast with emotion. The door to the kitchen was long past her, and right beside Kiba and Choji. She wasn't going back towards that way again. She needed to gain some control. But first, she desperately needs some air. Her eyes fall on the door that the staff uses to go in and out of the kitchen area and to the outside to stand with either the sun or the moon shining down on them.

Sakura makes her way to it, and steps out, not even bothering to check if anyone followed her. She went until her hands made it to the railing of the ship, and she could see the dark waters of the ocean gleaming under the moon's light. The sound of the ship parting the sea reverberated through the air. A blistering cold air hit her, but at the moment, Sakura found it to be pleasant to the touch.

She hugged herself as she took a deep, soothing, breath of air.

She opened her eyes, and in them was sorrow. She leaned on the railing, drawing circles on it with her index finger. She felt defeated.

_Kiba was right,_ she thought. She _was_ pretending to be someone she was not. But she wasn't doing it for her own personal gain. She did it to purely satisfy a friend. And if her sister found out, her sister would hate her for this too. Sakura moaned pushing her head out and hanging it out to the sea. She hoped her sister never found out. She vowed to herself that Tenten wouldn't, and she would keep this identity a secret. She looked down at the ocean, beyond the black waters and foam. But found nothing.

"You know, if you keep hanging your head like that you might just fall in. And who knows if I'll be calling anyone for help. I might just leave you there in the cold waters of the ocean to die," she heard a deep, cold, but ironically comforting voice of a man's.

Sakura whirled around. Her big doe green eyes stared up at the man like a deer stared at a car's headlights.

"Sasuke?"

"Who else would it be?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Walking." He looked upwards, to the starry sky. He had his hands in his pant pockets.

That was hard for Sakura to believe. "You're just walking?" He could hear the disbelief in her voice.

"You don't believe me?" His cold eyes landed on her.

"No," she was blunt. "I mean, shouldn't you be inside with everyone else?"

"It got a little boring in there, so I snuck away while no one was looking." He shrugged his shoulders very casually, like he did that all the time. "I was going to do it eventually." He smirked at her.

"O-oh." Sakura looked away from him. A blissful silence passed between them, but it didn't bother either of them as they both looked out to the full moon. It was nice to have company to focus on, rather than your problems all the time. Without being aware of it, Sakura and Sasuke had taken comfort in each other's presence.

"What are you doing out here—Sakura was it?" He never looked to her; his eyes were solely on the view before him.

Sakura stared at him in wonder. He was a very straight forward man. From the very beginning that they had met, he never ask for permission, nor thanked, or apologized, he just said, Sakura noticed. What a strange man. Her eyes were glued to him. His handsome face looked so serious, so grim. And yet, he was perfection. She looked to his full and perfect lips. She remembered that laugh he had burst forth a while ago, and the sound of it was so captivating. She wondered if, by chance, she could hear it again.

His midnight eyes came down to meet hers, seeing as she wasn't speaking. Sakura quickly turned away from him, catching onto her mistake.

"I-I needed some air." She was so happy the cool air was hitting her face, or else her face would have been burning red.

"I see. Did something happen while you were in the kitchen?"

_Yes. _"No," she shook her head. "I just needed a cool and quiet place to think, and I found myself, unexpectedly, coming out here. I like watching the stars on days like these; they calm me a little when I'm not feeling so good." Sakura smiled, wrapping her arms around herself, rubbing them up and down her arms.

Sasuke watched her. "Isn't that a bit dangerous?"

Sakura looked up to him. "You think so? I'm so used to it that I don't find it as dangerous at all."

Her eyes had lit up considerably. Sasuke had never seen someone so happy before. She didn't even have to smile to show that she was happy; her eyes just did it for her.

"You're one strange woman," he finally concluded.

Sakura cheeks turned red; she puffed out her cheeks. "Well that was rude!"

"And let's not forget annoying." Sasuke just smirked, bending down to her level, and pushing a finger in her cheek to let out the air. He just liked teasing this girl. "If I wouldn't have known better, I'd say you were born in the streets like a peasant."

Sakura laughed nervously. "_Whaaat_? Why would you say such a thing?" She rubbed the back of her neck avoiding his eyes.

Sasuke chuckled, catching her attention. "Because it's the truth," he said. "But then, I guess I shouldn't expect no less from a new money individual. You people are always so wild, and quick to say what is on your minds." He was referring to the incident that had happened earlier between them.

Sakura's brow twitched irritated. "Yeah? And you're no different. You people that were born rich are so arrogant, and boring, and stiff like you all have a stick up your asses!" She pressed a finger to his chest each time she said this, unaware of how close she was getting. "I mean what is wrong with you all? Haven't you ever lived before? Haven't you ever experienced anything remotely close to fun?" She finally gazed up at him. He caught her hand that was in the air, and she lost her voice.

She lost herself in his eyes. You could say she was mesmerized by all of him.

_Wow._ She blinks a few times. _Has he always been this tall?_ She reached all the way to his chest. He made her feel tiny. She glanced to their hands that were still entwined. _And his hand, it's so big._ It made her feel so secured. She couldn't help but look fascinated at how well they fit together.

Her heart skipped a beat. She felt a streak of color come to her cheeks. Her mint orbs finally came up to meet his again. Her breaths came out so much slower. His eyes looked just as lost in hers. They made a delicious feeling steer in her stomach.

"No," he spoke, throaty. "I've never had enough time to learn. I've always been too busy. But I'm willing to learn—if you teach me," his tone was so husky, it made tingles run all the way down to her core.

Sakura didn't know if it was her eyes playing tricks on her, but they seemed to be getting closer. However, she didn't seem to mind at all, for she wanted this. She wanted him.

Her eyes widened as she realized he was going to kiss her.

But before anything could happen, Sasuke paused midway. A look of dark disbelief came over him. He sighed deeply, stepping away from her. His mind kept asking him what was he thinking? Where was he right now? What was he saying? What was he about to do? It kept telling him that he didn't just get lost in her eyes the way that he did, that that would never happen to him—not to an Uchiha. They never let themselves get too carried away. They were always composed, and reserved, and absolutely above anyone—and not just any woman can tame them. But this woman with her cunning, manipulating, sparkling, and big mint green eyes that looked like a child's, had caught him like a bird—without a sweat—in the palm of her hands. And Sasuke didn't like things that didn't go his way.

He cleared his throat. "We should get back. It's getting cold out here, and you're already freezing." He observed her shivering arms.

"...Y-yeah..." Sakura tried not to look disappointed. She let him lead her.

They walked in silence all the way back to the main entrance, by the main stairs, where Sakura had saved Ino, and where they had first walked in to greet all the wealthy people inside the Titanic's only restaurant. The air around them was awkward as neither of them had anything to say to each other.

Sakura was feeling uncomfortable, because she knew what Sasuke was about to do to her, and Sasuke wasn't saying anything because he wasn't sure if he said anything to her, the girl would confront the matter of what he was about to do to her, or just let it go. So he thought not saying anything about the incident and sending her on her way would be much better.

"So, I suppose this is our stop," he says avoiding her eyes once they made it to their destination. He kept his focus on the entrance of the restaurant, his hands back in his pants pockets. He thought _never seeing her after this would be better._ He'd rather be safe. The woman was too risky to his fortune, and Sasuke always avoided those types of risks that lead him to lose something of value. But there was just something different about this woman... She was unique in every possible way.

"Yes, I suppose so..." her voice trailed off. Sakura was looking to the ground.

They finally glanced to each other.

"I don't think we should enter together," he says. "It wouldn't look right to the others, and it would just spread rumors in the vicinity, which I find bothersome."

"Yes, I understand," Sakura established with him with a small voice.

He breathed out. Why was this becoming so hard for him to say? "I'll be going in first. You can come in later."

Sakura never made no indication of protesting. She quickly agreed with him, all the while her expression was sad. Why was she feeling so down about all this?

Sasuke's icy eyes lingered on her for a whole while longer. "So... I guess this is goodbye." He bent down to kiss her hand, his eyes stayed on her the entire time. They sent Sakura's heart racing as she stared back at him. She could barely feel him against the fabric on her hand.

Oh, how she wanted to just grab those lips and press them against her own. And those eyes... She wished they could just stare down at her forever.

He hadn't the slightest clue as to why he was looking at her. He just did. He had an urge in him that kept nagging at him to at least memorize her before taking her completely out of his life.

She didn't say anything, firstly because she couldn't. Her voice was clogged by something. _He sounds as if he is saying goodbye for all eternity...  
_  
His frown deepened. He at least expected her to say something. He thought _where was that loud mouth of hers now? Well, _he figured, _it didn't matter now. _Perhaps this was for the best. He stood up, now proceeding forward to the restaurant.

"Wait," she said. He turned his head to see her. She was still standing at the spot he left her. Her hands close to her chest; her eyes looking desperate. "Will I ever see you again, Sasuke-kun?" Her voice was as soft as a birds twitter. She had to at least hear they would. She knew she shouldn't be doing this again, for the reason that they were from two separate worlds—two separate lifestyles. She was a peasant and he was a wealthy man. He lived with a golden spoon in his mouth in a mansion, while she lived day by day looking for scraps in the streets, and on good days, if she and her siblings were lucky, having enough to pay for a roof over their heads. There was no way they could be. They were just too far apart to reach by hand—and at this moment that was literally true.

He smirked at her expression on her face, finding it annoying. "Who knows," It wasn't a question, but rather his simple reply. He walked away from her.

Sakura didn't stop him; instead she straggled after him in a much slower pace. Her thoughts of him soon disappeared at the sight of what came next in the restaurant.

"What's this?" she quietly questioned at the sight of her new friend running out.

Ino had tears trailing down her face. Her nose was as red as a reindeers. She looked devastated, and she looked like she was about to collapse. It certainly surprised Sakura.

"Ino!" She quickly ran to her friend's side, to catch her before she fell. "Ino! What's wrong, Ino?" Sakura helped her up. "What happened to you?" Sakura was so confused, because it wasn't that long ago that she had left her—maybe fifteen to twenty minutes ago. But apparently that was enough time. Just what could have happened to the blonde girl for her to be in this sorry state?

Ino glanced up to her through watery eyes. "Sakura!" she cried, wrapping her arms around her friend's neck, tightly.

Sakura stumbled. She just stood there at first unsure of what to do, when, slowly, she began to place her hand on her back, rubbing soothing circles on her back. She glanced up to meet Sasuke's murky gaze.

"I don't know what happened, but come on. We can't stand here and allow you to look like this in front of others. You'd probably be embarrassed about it after."

Ino quickly accepted, and Sakura led her away from the restaurant. Her arm was around Ino's shoulder helping her walk.

She took one last glance at the dark-haired man that she knew was still standing there, watching her go.

_This was probably the last time we are ever going to see each other again...Sasuke-kun…_

Sakura looked away from him and continued forward again, trying not to show her forlornness.

But who knows, her cupid could be just around the corner, or perhaps, right beside her.


	10. Chapter 10: Dilemma After Another

******Don't Ever Let Me Go******

**Chapter 10: Dilemma After Another**_**  
**_

**Author's Note: **Oh man oh man. it has seriously been a long time for my liking. I am so sorry for posting on here so late. I should have done this long ago, but I got caught up with stuff, and yeah, I am freaking sorry!

******Disclaimer: ******I don't own Naruto or the Titanic!

* * *

Once the party was over, Shikamaru walked out to the cool air in the dead of night. It was way past midnight. He let out a rough sound of air out of his lips and sat down on the first bench he saw and just let himself spiral on it in defeat. He was in the front of the ship. The loud sound of the waves splitting from below could be heard. There were only a few lights on outside, enough to light up half of his face, but he didn't really mind, rather his mind was too focused elsewhere to even pay attention to the lighting in the area.

"How could I be so _stupid_?!" He smacked himself in the face, like some loon. He couldn't get Ino's face out of his mind. _She looked so shocked... She couldn't even respond like everyone else! It was way too much for her to take in!_ And it made Shikamaru feel even worse, as he covered his face with his palm.

He glanced up and closed his eyes, breathing out once more.

_And the worst part was I didn't even want to say it there—not like that. I was planning on telling her alone, so that she could understand my part in all this better. But those imbeciles just didn't let me! They wanted everyone to hear it at once. They didn't even give me time to breath! And now, I bet Ino probably hates my guts... She probably doesn't want anything to do with me anymore..._

"_God_, this is so troublesome!" He racked a hand through his hair. He threw himself back on the seat until his head hit the top part of the bench. It didn't hurt when he banged his head; however, if it would have, then he'd welcome it. He deserved it anyway for making the girl he loves cry.

Yeah, he knew she was crying from the moment she ran away from the party. Ino never really liked crying in front of people, she preferred to do that on her own...or with him. But that was out of the question now. And in times like those, Shikamaru would usually go running after her and comfort her, while holding her in his arms until she calmed. But that too was definitely out of the question now.

Shikamaru couldn't do any of those things anymore. He couldn't hold her, he couldn't comfort her, and he couldn't show her his affection anymore. He could only love her from afar now, but even that was becoming too much at the present. And it sucked. He could already feel how cruel this life was being to him.

He sighed out once more, removing his tie. He glanced up at the bright stars. Oh how he wished Ino were here now, whispering sweet nothings in his ear as they both held each other, becoming each other's only source of warmth. He already missed her so much, and it was barely the first day of many.

Shikamaru was beginning to wonder if he would survive this relationship with this other woman. _What was her name—Temari?_ He couldn't even remember her name! It was beginning to frustrate Shikamaru.

He rubbed his temples, wondering how long would he survive now with all this added stress.

"Rough day, huhh?" Suddenly spoke a voice from behind him, startling him from what he was doing. The bench creaked as someone on another bench moved.

_There's someone else here? I thought I was all alone this whole time...!_

The smell of food hit Shikamaru's senses. He quickly glanced behind him at the unexpected intruder. It was a big man with long spiky brown hair held back with a red bandana. Shikamaru noted that it kind of looked like Jiraiya's wild hair. The large man had two distinct red swirls on his cheeks, and he had piles and piles of food on his large plate. To his astonishment, Shikamaru also discerned that the plate the man was using wasn't a plate at all, but the large tray waiters' used to hold other plates for customers. He had a chef's suit indicating that he was a cook on the ship; his white hat was resting beside him.

_His shift must have ended a while ago_, Shikamaru supposed, checking his watch to make sure. _As I thought, I was right._ He smacked his forehead. _How could I be so foolish to get caught sulking by a worker on the first day?  
_  
"Yeah," continued the man. "I know exactly how you feel." Choji ate from his plate.

Shikamaru frowned at his comment. "Do you?" The tone of his voice stated he didn't believe him.

Choji glanced at him. "Well, maybe not the situation, but I'm sure our low moods are the same."

"I guess," Shikamaru breathed out.

Choji stuck out his hand for the other man to take. "Name's Choji. And yours is?"

"Shikamaru," was all Shikamaru said. He felt that telling the worker his full name would scare the big man away; although that hardly sounded like a bad plan. He might just use it in case the big man got too talkative.

"Shikamaru, huhh?"

Shikamaru lifted a brow. "Yeah. What of it?"

"Nothing," Choji shrugged. "It's just a really weird name, so I had to test it out to see if I could say it. If not, well... I don't know." Choji chuckled. "I probably wouldn't have called you by your name after." He laughed.

"...I guess I get what you mean. But your name isn't any better. Just saying."

"Yeah...my mom had a real tough time thinking about it actually," Choji confessed, scratching his head, as he lifted his fork to take a bite of some fried shrimp.

Shikamaru didn't know what to say. He just kept thinking _why is this man speaking to me? Do I have a sign up saying 'Talk to me; I really need it.'_ He shook his head and looked away from the man chowing down his food.

But apparently Choji wasn't giving up any time soon. "So, why is it that you're so down? If you don't mind me asking," he nippily added.

Shikamaru glanced back at him.

Choji raised his arms up defensively. "I'm just asking, because I want something else to focus on rather than my thoughts."

Shikamaru didn't know...

But Choji wasn't taking no for an answer. He smiled. "If it helps, I'm a real good listener."

Shikamaru exhaled finally giving in. "I guess it's alright then." He explained to Choji what had happened that day, and how he couldn't be with the girl that he truly loved because his father had made a promise to one of his old friends long ago that he would wed Shikamaru to his daughter if Shikamaru's father had a son.

Choji on the other hand took this all in, steadily. "Damn... you do have it bad," he promptly responded.

Shikamaru almost fell off his seat. He deadpanned. "Yeah, I know."

"And you really made her cry?"

"Yeah." Shikamaru closed his eyes, miserable. There was nothing else he could do for her. It wasn't like he could run after Ino even if he wanted to. He had a duty to his family, and he wasn't about to disgrace his family because they couldn't keep their promises.

Choji shook his head disapprovingly. He sat back in his seat. "I don't get it." His view was at the sky.

Shikamaru looked to him. "What?"

"If you really care about this girl, then why are you going through with this marriage?"

Shikamaru too looked to the sky. "Because. You may not understand, but my family has duties, and one of those duties is going through situations like my own. My father had made a promise, and as a man of his word, he has to go through with it, faithfully. Even if _I_ or _he_ doesn't want to," he supplemented.

"But that's not _fair_. That has nothing to do with you. You weren't even born when he made that promise, so he can't possibly involve you."

"Oh but he can." Shikamaru looked exhausted. "And it doesn't really matter if it's _fair_ or not. Sometimes people have to realize that life isn't fair."

"Yeah, but sometimes if people really want something real bad, they fight for it till it's finally given to them in the palm of their hand."

Shikamaru chuckled. "But not everything is always handed to someone the way they want it."

"Then make them give it to you the way you want it!" Choji stood up looking unruly.

Shikamaru was dismayed. "You make it sound so easy, when in reality, it's not." He stood up. "Anyway… I think it's time for me to hit the hay." He checked his pocket watch; it read two in the morning. Yes, it was definitely time for him to go. He had plenty of work to do tomorrow, and he didn't want to be any more tired than he usually is throughout the day.

"It was nice meeting you—Choji. Let's meet again sometime."

"Yeah. Same to you, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru waved over his shoulder, disappearing through the ships darkness.

Choji shook his head after, pitying the other man. "He's just making things difficult for himself if he continues down this path. Well, whatever. I'll just let him figure it out on his own."

* * *

Sakura opens the door of Ino's cabin and steps out. She was no longer wearing that pretty ivory dress and crown. Her hair was down, and her make-up was gone, wiped off her face. She was back in her boy clothes, and she had her old hat in her hand. Ino is right behind her.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" She turned around, distraught for her friend, to face Ino, who was standing by the doorway holding the door in a tight vice that she _hoped_ Sakura didn't notice.

Ino had told Sakura everything, up to the point where Ino and Shikamaru were best friends, fundamentally lovers, and then up to where he confessed the news about his engagement in front of the whole multitude of well-heeled people in the restaurant.

Sakura felt sorry for her. She wished she could help her more by telling her some more consoling words. But really what could she say? That everything would be alright? Yeah. She could say that all day, but the reality was it wasn't okay. Nothing was okay for Ino. She wasn't going to get the man that she desperately loved back. Ino was still going to feel as wretched as she felt, and she still had all that love for him bottled up inside her, killing her internally. If anything, all Sakura could say is that time would heal her wounds, and with other company by her side, to take her mind off of him, Ino would not feel so alone.

"Yes. I'll live." She gave Sakura a reassuring smile that didn't help settle Sakura's qualms at all. But she didn't question Ino any further. She had stayed with Ino for hours, comforting her until her tears were dried.

"...Okay then. If you say so, Ino." Sakura was also hesitating in leaving. She also didn't want to leave her friend all alone, particularly in her state at the moment. Sakura could see that Ino wasn't well, she was more than heartbroken. She was crushed. And in times like these, it was always good to have a friend by your side to comfort you. However, she couldn't do that. She still hadn't seen or spoken to her siblings since that fight that had broken out in front of the grand staircase. She had to see them again. She had to tell them she was okay, because she was sure they were strung up about her wellbeing.

"Please take care of yourself," Sakura said.

"I will," Ino told her in a tiny voice. She looked like at any second she would breakout in tears again, it was heard to watch. Sakura really didn't want to leave her like this.

"Sakura," Ino spoke, halting her from leaving just yet. "May I see you again tomorrow?" she finally popped the question; she shifted on her feet nervously. "I don't want to be alone; for fear that I might see him again. I'm not prepared. And I could really use a friend: one that won't use my words against me because of our statuses."

This time Sakura gave her a wide smile of her own. "Why not," she said. At first she wasn't so sure, because then that would mean she would have to keep using this fake identity behind her siblings backs, but by seeing Ino's sad face, all those negative thoughts were suddenly erased from her mind.

Ino's expression warmed. "Thank you, Sakura."

"No worries." Sakura waved goodbye.

She turned on her heels after, leaving the premises, and going back to her room. While on her way there, she placed her hat on, making sure she tucked in all of her pink hair just right. She wouldn't want someone to unexpectedly catch her by mistake. Principally right now that she vowed to continue this play of fake identities.

She made her way to the elevators, passing by many fabulous rooms that she could never afford. She could only watch in not so much as envy, but curiosity.

When, suddenly, she was stopped by a ship officer. He held her arm in his skintight grip, lifting her off the air just a bit, stupefying her by the deed. Her head whirled to look at him.

"I believe you're in the wrong side of the ship, _boy_!" His looming stare was on her face as he shook her. Fear covered her profile.

His hold on her hurt. Sakura winced, and wriggled in his hold. "Stop it! No I'm not! Let go! You're hurting me!"

And as if things couldn't get any worse, the bell for the elevator rung, signaling its arrival. The worker on the machine opened its doors. "This is your stop Mr. Uchiha." Rowdy laughter interrupted him.

"Ah, think you, good sir, for a job well done!" It was a woman's voice, and she sounded quite drunk.

Sakura turned to see Sasuke and his fiancée Karin coming out. The woman was leaning on Sasuke as he helped her out of the elevator. He had an irritated look on his face as he helped her. _What was it with these Uzumaki's and getting this way?_ Sasuke was at that breaking point. He had to use all his willpower to not tell her to shut up and calm down. He couldn't wait to dump her in her room and leave her to fend for herself then.

Sakura looked surprise, like she could just die. _Oh no... This is bad! This is so freaking bad!_


	11. Chapter 11: Too close!

**Don't Ever Let Me Go**

**Chapter 11: _Too close!_**

**_***SPOILER ALERT***DON'T READ AUTHOR'S NOTE IF YOU DON'T WANT SOME OF THE ENDING OF NARUTO CHAPTER 700 TO BE SPOILED***YOU'VE BEEN WARNED***_**

**Author's Note: **NARUTO IS OVER, FINALLY! And now my feelings about it lol. To tell you all the truth, I was a little bummed out that it ended. I mean, it's been 15 years, and now...it's gone.Q_Q But at the same time I'm also happy to see it end, because I'm still alive and not like eighty years old. xP Plus the _real_ shipping's came out! To which I'm like so freaking happy about because SasuSaku and NaruHina lives—_FOREVER_! I'm also cool with the other two, because I did technically see Temari and Shika ending up together, as well as Sai and Ino, so...yeah. Enjoy the new chapter ya'll!xD

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or the Titanic!

* * *

The couple was completely oblivious of the pinkette being restrained. They were too busy focused on each other, as Karin was making Sasuke's feverish life even more difficult. She cuddled into him some more, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Why don't you and I have a little fun in your room, _hm_, Sasuke-kun?" She drew circles on his chest, and broke out into fits of giggles.

Sasuke grabbed her hand, thrusting it away. "Just shut up and help me carry yourself up right, woman. You're not as light as you might think."

"Oh _boo_! Don't be a party pooper, Sasuke-kun! Where's your sense of humor at, hm? You were laughing just fine just a while ago with that other pink haired woman." Karin glared, making a repulsed sound from under her breath. "Do you like her better?" Jealousy showing through her mask that she liked to put up so well.

She was really beginning to get under Sasuke's skin. He shoved her away. "Not at all," he bit back. "I enjoy your company much more." He didn't sound like he like her company at all. "You have more to offer."

Karin grinned at that, showing him her perfect teeth. "Of course I do," she practically sang. Her ego skyrocketing. She walked ahead of him, in her drunken state.

Sasuke scoffed, rolling his eyes.

Sakura's face paled at the sight of him.

_Oh no...! This can't be happening to me right now!  
_  
She struggled in the man's hold some more. "Let go! Let go _right_ _now_!"

The man scowled. "Not a chance, brat! So you can try and escape when given the opportunity? No. You're coming with me you little thief!" He dragged her along with him.

"But I'm not a thief!" Sakura clawed at his tight fist around her wrist. "I didn't steal anything!"

"_Yet_! And that's only because I caught you in the act on time!"

Meanwhile, while all of this was happening, Sasuke and Karin were walking towards them, to their rooms.

Sasuke's eyes landed upon them.

_No! No! No! No!_ Sakura tried to avert her eyes, so that he may not see her.

Sasuke had a grim look. "What seems to be the problem, officer?" he questioned.

Karin's drunken gaze landed on them too.

_Damn it all,_ Sakura cursed. _I'm officially done for!_ She shut her eyes tight, anticipating her exposure.

She truly believed she was caught red-handed. That she would be uncovered right here, right now. And just when she lost all hope, another voice broke in.

"Yes, what does seem to be the problem, _officer_?" repeated another lighter voice than Sasuke's.

Sakura abruptly glanced to the source. _Sai! Oh thank the heavens!  
_  
He glanced to her and gave her one of his counterfeit pacified expressions that never seemed to work for him. He knew right away, from looking at her, who she was.

Sakura had to thank the Gods for his arrival.

Sasuke and the rest too glanced to him. His countenance darkened at the sight of Sai. There was just something about the pale and inky artist that didn't set well in Sasuke's stomach. He didn't like him.

The ship officer became uncomfortable at the sight of both males. "Mr. Uchiha! Mr. Akasuna no!" He bowed, bringing Sakura down with him. She yelped in surprise, groaning at his hold.

"I'm sorry to disturb you both! But it seems I found myself a thief. So I'll just be on my way now..."

Sakura kept her head down so they couldn't see her face. She wanted to spit back that that wasn't true. That she wasn't stealing anything, she was just passing by, but she refrained from it because of Karin and Sasuke.

Sai stopped him. He put one hand on his shoulder. Sakura looked up to him. "Wait, but that can't be," he said monotone. "You see that man you're holding captive is my companion. I was just coming to meet him when I witnessed what you just did to him."

The ship officer's mouth went dry. "He is," he barely uttered.

"Yes, he is. Now if you wouldn't mind, could you kindly release him?" Sai put his other hand on the ship officer's arm, tearing it off Sakura. That fake smile never disappearing from his facade.

"Scram," Sasuke said next, glaring at the man.

The ship officer stumbled, but did as was told. "_Yes_! I'm sorry! I apologize, Mr. Akasuna no! Mr. Uchiha!"

"Oh, I don't think it is _I_ you need to apologize too, but my friend here," Sai gestured to Sakura.

Sakura rubbed at her bruised wrist, and glared at the man under her hat. _Jerk!  
_  
He blushed at their eye contact. "Yes, I'm sorry, _sir_!" He quickly bowed and receded down the hall. In his mind the whole time, he questioned himself if that was a boy or not while glancing back at her.

_He was much too pretty to be a boy._ He disappeared down the hall.

The group watched him go.

Sasuke was the first one to turn back to the others. And Sakura quickly hid under her hat, keeping her head to the ground so that he may not see her face.

"Are you alright?" came Sai's voice; he touched her wrist. "He really did some damage there."

Sakura stared down at his hand on hers, and said, "I'm fine. It's just a bruise. It'll heal eventually."

"Right," he replied, releasing her mildly.

Sasuke ridiculed. "I never figured you as the type to care for the poor, Akasuna no. Then again, you were a street born yourself, so I guess you will always _scum_ to your kind." Sasuke crossed his arms.

"Careful there, Uchiha. You might regret saying those words one day," Sai smiled up at Sasuke, intimidatingly.

"Hn." But Sasuke wasn't affected. "Doubt that, Akasuna no. I would never stoop so _low_ as to fraternize with the poor." Sasuke's glare came down to Sakura's hat. He couldn't see more than that. But his curiosity of who she was was there. She seemed to look awfully familiar, but he couldn't quite put his finger where he had seen her before, and he didn't really care enough to even try to remember.

Sai chuckled. "Oh, I wouldn't say that, Uchiha. You never know, you might already be doing _just_ that."

Sakura's eyes bugged out at Sai's remark. _What the hell are you doing,_ she wanted to say. However, Sai reassured her with his stare that he was doing nothing wrong in particular.

Karin put a finger to her lips, and came close to Sakura. "Hm…?" She dipped her head to the side, studying Sakura carefully, as carefully as a drunken person could analyze. Her focus was solely on Sakura and nothing else. "Have we met before?" The stench of alcohol hit Sakura.

"_No_," Sakura's voice cracked as she covered her face with her hand, and lowered her hat more so that Karin couldn't see her face. She backed away from her, and Karin followed.

"That's strange," but Karin kept persisting. "I could have sworn I've seen you before...?"

Sai got in her way, blocking her view from Sakura. She glanced up to him, as did Sakura and Sasuke. "I assure you, you two have never met before." But Karin still looked muddled like she had.

Sai grabbed Sakura's hand. "Come on." He pulls Sakura along, right before Karin could get that frustrating thought out of her head and say _who_ Sakura is. They go right past her.

Sakura bumps into Sasuke and lowers her hat more. "Sorry," she says, flinching away from him, and let's Sai lead her.

Sasuke watches her go. By her ear, he sees a small speck of pink hair. He closed and opened his eyes, figuring he saw wrong when he doesn't see the pink hair anymore, and shrugs it off as nothing. He draws his attention back to his room again and Karin.

He sighs. "Let's get you to your room," he tells the woman still standing, watching Sakura go.

"I know I've seen that person somewhere...?"

"Don't think too hard on it. His poorness might rub off on you. And we wouldn't want that now, would we?" Sasuke's dirty look came down on Sakura's back. He was feeling the same way as Karin. That person did look familiar, but he could hardly fathom where he had seen that garbage lover. There were just so many people with low statuses that could get near him and his people.

He vowed he didn't care enough.

* * *

Sakura and Sai walked in silence through the halls of the Titanic. They had left the first class stationary, and were now in the third class one. Sakura was stiff with awkwardness as she walked with Sai. She momentarily glanced at him from the side of her peripheral vision. He was still in his nice suit.

_Why is he walking me? No, a better question is why does he even care? He has money. There is no reason for him to take interest in a worthless person like me. He should just leave me here and go on his way—back to his room.  
_  
"Yes?" He glanced down at her. A phony smile crept up to his lips.

Sakura looked away quickly, looking to the side of the white wall. "Nothing," the word left her lips with a quickness.

Sai chuckled. "Are you sure it is just _nothing_? You seem to find my face much too interesting to be _nothing_... Am I right, or wrong?"

"_No_. It's nothing like that. Please, don't get the wrong idea. It's just... You don't have to walk me to my room, Sai."

"But I'm not," his eyes closed kindly.

Sakura was confused. "But...you are." She lost her voice.

"No, I'm not."

They turned another corner and went four doors down and turned to the door to the right. Sai led her knowing full well where her room was without her saying anything. It surprised Sakura.

"How did you..."

"Now where your room was?" He placed a hand to the handle of the room door. "Simple," he said. "This is _my_ room too." He opened it for they could both go in.

They went in; however, the sight that came next stopped them in their tracks.

Sakura stared wide-eyed at her siblings.

Naruto groaned and winced at Tenten's touch. She was cleaning his wounds with alcohol and some gauze she had stolen. Naruto sat stiff as she pressed the gauze on his cheek.

"Tenten, can you be any more rough? Be gentler with me. I'm your little brother, remember? Sisters are supposed to be caring when helping their _younger_ siblings!" He complained.

But Tenten only pressed harder. "Oh stop your whining, Naruto!" Naruto flinched and yelped from the stinging the alcohol brought.

"_Gah_! Tenten!"

"Stop being a baby, Naruto, and just take it!"

"But it hurts!"

"What on earth happened to you, Naruto?" Sakura sounded alarmed. Her siblings hadn't even noticed her arrival.

Naruto and Tenten turned to look at her. "Sakura!" they said in unison.

Naruto got up. "Where have you been?"

"Yeah, we've been worried sick about you!" Tenten joined in after.

Naruto saw right through her fickleness, and Tenten noticed it to.

"Well… Naruto more so than I! But that was because I knew you were okay the moment we found out you weren't jailed like the others. Of course, don't get me wrong, I was just as worried," Tenten defended.

Sakura smiled at her sister. "It's alright, Tenten. I understand. No need to fret." Her smile disappeared. "But what happened here, why is Naruto bruised?" She looked ill at ease.

"Oh this," Naruto grinned foolishly, pointing at his cheek. "This is nothing—just a little something I like to call _my golden medal_ I got after saving a beautiful woman's life."

"What?" Sakura looked shocked.

"Yeah," Tenten crossed her arms also looking smug. "Naruto _did_ look pretty cool after he saved that girl."

He laughed. "What are you talking about? I always look cool!"

"Really? What happened?" Sakura was interested.

"You remember that girl me and that idiot painter named Sai had betted on in the morning?"

"...Yeah." Sakura looked over her shoulder at Sai. She was appalled her brother hadn't noticed him yet. Tenten had noticed him the moment she saw her sister, but she just never said anything about him being there. Sai simpered, and then shrugged, placing a finger to his lips telling her to stay quiet about it. Sakura turned back to her brother who was still talking.

"Well, _she's_ the one I just saved."

Both Sakura's and Sai's ears perked up at this.

"You mean _Hinata_?" Sai finally decided to make an appearance and expose himself to Naruto. What had happened to Hinata?

"Yeah, her. How did you know her name—" Naruto's eyes bugged out at the sight of Sai. "YOU!" Naruto addressed to him, "How did _you_ get in here!?"

"Stop dragging this out more than it should be, you buffoon! This is my room too! Now, what happened with Hinata?"

"I'm not telling you! How could this be your room too! This room only fits _four_ people, you damn pervert!" Naruto pointed.

Tenten smacked her forehead. "He is the fourth person, Naruto."

Naruto paused to look at his sister, and count the people in the room. "What!?" He looked like he couldn't take the news. "How could this be? This is wrong! He can't be our mystery roommate! I'd rather die than have that!" He fell on his knees looking distraught.

"Then hurry up and _die_, dickless." Sai didn't seem to have been damaged by the straw-colored boy's sudden outburst.

Naruto glared up at him. "_You_! Why don't I kill _you_ first?" He charged at him. Sakura got in his way, as Tenten held him back from the rear.

"Hold up Naruto!" Sakura pushed him back with her palms.

"Yeah, don't go suddenly trying to kill someone!" Tenten looked like she was having some technical difficulties.

"Yeah, having a murder in our hands is way different than stealing in the streets! We won't be able to get out of it even if we tried!" Sakura tried to reason.

"Right!" Tenten agreed, and at the same time being dragged by him.

"_Naruto_!" They both shouted for him to listen.

Naruto screamed. "_Rah_! Alright!" He jerked them off. "But Sakura, what are you doing with him?" He didn't like the idea of his little sister being with this creepy pervert. "And how do you know Hinata?" He directed his attention back to Sai.

"Well..."

"She and I met on the ship again by coincidence." Sai came to stand right next to Sakura. Sakura glanced up at him. _He's protecting me?_ He glanced down to her, and winked at her, secretively, which Tenten and Naruto took the wrong way.

"Yup, just like he said!" Sakura had no choice but to go along with it. She didn't want her siblings to know that she had a double identity on the ship.

Sai looked hale. "And the reason I know the heiress of the Hyuuga household is because we've recently been acquainted."

"How?" Even Tenten was interested now. She stood with her hand at her hip.

Sai chuckled. "She and her family recently bought some paintings from me and my brother."

"…Oh. Then you must really be a good artist to get an heiress to buy one of your paintings," Tenten said, amazed.

"That or he probably scammed them," Naruto replied. "I should go tell them they got ripped off." Naruto made for the door. Sakura stopped him.

"No, Naruto, it's not like that. Sai is a famous artist. He's a wealthy man," Sakura answered.

He and Tenten looked taken aback. They both scowled, Naruto because he didn't like the artist, and Tenten because she didn't like wealthy people period.

"He just recently became wealthy," Sakura quickly added before it got any more tense in the room.

"Okay, then if he has so much money, then what is he doing in this dump?" Tenten challenged. "This isn't exactly paradise in here."

"You're right, Ten. It's crap. Not worth any rich man to live in," Naruto complied.

Sakura thought, _this is bad. They're not listening to me. If anything, Sai is in trouble!  
_  
But Sai didn't look worried. He was as calm as ever. "I may have money, but that just recently happened, as Sakura pointed out. I used to live in the streets, and I'm still not accustomed to living so luxuriously just yet. I prefer to live in cramped places like this. Believe it or not, it relaxes me and causes me to think more."

"Sure it does." Naruto still didn't trust him.

Sai's continence lowered. "Anyway, now that I've answered your questions, it is time for you two to comply. What happened to Hinata?"

Naruto wasn't about to budge, however, Tenten was a different case.

"She was almost raped," she says.

"Tenten!" Naruto scowled.

"What? He's right. He gave us what we wanted to hear, it is only fair we tell him what he wants too. Plus what is he gonna gain out of it?" Naruto didn't have an answer. "Exactly, nothing."

She told him what happened to Hinata, with a little help from Naruto of course.

"Jesus, all that happened last night?" Sakura was overwhelmed.

"Yeah. It was hard on all of us," Tenten told them.

"But it was mostly hard on Hinata," Naruto communicated. "I still can't believe how her father reacted." He passed a hand through his hair, exasperated.

"Yeah...it just goes to show how messed up rich families are." Tenten glared at nothing in particular.

Her reaction caught Sai's attention.

Tenten yawned, stretching out. "Anyway, I think we should get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow, ain't that right, Naruto?"

"Oh yeah," Naruto smirked.

"What's up with tomorrow?" Sakura looked to and from Naruto and her sister.

They just grinned foolishly. "A big scam is tomorrow," was all Naruto told her, getting in his bed.

* * *

A/N: Review if you want the next chapter by tomorrow.;D

P.S. I love Choji's shipping. It was just adorable, and deep down, I think I saw it coming too, even though I was expecting him to end up with Ino if Shika or Sai hadn't.*-*


	12. Chapter 12: Scam Gone All Wrong

****Don't Ever Let Me Go****

**Chapter 12: **_**Scam Gone All Wrong**_

**Author's Note: **And like promised, I updated!:D

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or the Titanic!

* * *

"Come one, come all! Make a bet and find the Lady! Let's see how great your memories are, and challenge the great _Bella_ as she makes the red Queen _disappear_," Naruto said with mystery to the large crowd coming in and surrounding them as curious passerbys' came to see. He had a corn colored mustache on his face as its hairs tickled his lips each time he talked, and was standing on top of a lounge chair on deck as he gazed about to the many people with a Charlie Chopin hat.

Naruto's blue eyes lingered on them all until they found a victim. "You there!" He pointed to the wealthiest man in the circle of people. "You seem like a clever man. Care to try your luck, sir?" he asked tipping his hat out to him, so that he may drop his money in his hat, while gesturing to Tenten standing behind a simple table with a cardboard box on top with his other hand. She had three red playing cards bent from the corners so that they could be easily grabbed.

"What do I have to do?" The man came up, indeed interested by the gambling game.

Naruto smirked at him. "It's simple really," he deepened his voice to sound older and hoarser. "All you have to do is find the Queen of Hearts." Tenten lifted the card in the middle to show the stranger and everyone else the card. She was wearing, like Naruto, a suit with a bowler hat. Her wavy hair perfectly placed under her hat. She looked fabulous. "Once you find her you get your money back, plus more." No one could detect the scheming tone Naruto had when speaking to them.

The man looked arrogant, crossing his arms. "And why should I play? I already have money—so why should I play?"

"I like your confidence!" Naruto pointed at him. "And I see what you mean by that, but when you have all the money in the world, what's there to lose when playing a little game of Three-card Monte?" His manipulative gaze came down to meet the other man's. Naruto was playing this good. He knew what he was doing, and he already knew he had this man playing in the palm of his hand.

The man grinned. "You're right," he shrugged. "I have nothing to lose by playing the game." He came up and placed a simple dime in Naruto's hat. Naruto gladly took it, placing the hat back on his head.

"Good choice, mate! Good choice indeed! Now, step right up, don't be shy, come and challenge our extraordinary Bella~!" Naruto ushered him in closer. Tenten glanced up at him, and Naruto winked at her, giving her the signal. _Go ahead and do your thing_, he encouraged in his mind.

Tenten grinned. Then looked to the unfamiliar man standing in front of her. "How do you do, mister?"

The man smirked at her, charmed. "Just fine, thank you. Now shall we begin?" he asked.

Tenten nodded, starting to explain. "Yes," she said. "And like my friend said before, all you have to do is find the queen. Once you find the queen, you win. Simple, right?" She gave him a smile.

"It is simple," the man went along with her, clapping and rubbing his hands together.

Tenten refrained from rolling her eyes at the stupid gambler. _Idiot_, she thought, _doesn't know what he just got himself into._ Nevertheless, she gave the man what he wanted.

"Keep your eyes on the cards," she advised, dropping the cards and gliding them swiftly across the cardboard box. _And don't blink for a second, because the moment you do, I will already have the card under my sleeve, and replace it with another one. _ She kept going until the man looked confused. She had moved the cards so fast; he hadn't even seen her slip up as she did exactly as she had thought earlier. She paused after she felt satisfied.

"Don't worry," her words were comforting to the ears. "Take your time and take your pick. Make sure you think about your choice very..._very_ carefully." She now held a cunning smile on her face.

Naruto was just as eager. He and the rest of the crowd watched in suspense as the man debated, thinking thoughtfully about which card he should claim first. He had lost track of the Queen and now he was in a bit of a pickle as he tried to second guess which one it was or _is_, and finally he decided to wing it, finding no other option than that.

"It is this one," he pointed to the card on the left corner.

"Mm," Tenten hissed out and made a disappointed expression for him. "No, sorry—it's not." She lifted the card for him to see the jack of clubs. "Better luck next time," she said sweetly and shrugged, the crowd erupted as they all voiced their disappointments as well.

"Yeah..." Naruto came to pat the man on the back, feigning empathy. "Like the lady said, better luck next time," he repeated. He then looked around for anymore contestants/victims.

But the man looked desperate and pride wounded. "Wait," he stopped him. It just couldn't end like this.

Naruto grinned, already anticipating this. "Yes?" He turned back to the man.

"I want a rematch."

Tenten and Naruto looked to each other than grinning from ear to ear.

"Are you sure?" Naruto couldn't help but ask.

"Yes. My pride has been hurt too much to have lost to a bunch of..._street_ _performers_."

Naruto and Tenten frowned at this, finding the way he said this rude and disrespectful. They glared at each other thinking the exact same thing. _Let's heist him of everything he gots!_

They looked back at him. "Well...if you insist," Naruto said.

"Yeah, we have no other option but to oblige," Tenten grinned, conspiratorially.

* * *

Silently, Neji and Hinata walked through the corridors of the ship. "Do you have your papers and utensils?" he asked.

Hinata nodded, quieter than usual. "Y-yes," she mumbled.

Neji glanced at her from the corner of his eye as he heard her response. He sighed internally. She was still feeling retched for what had happened last night. He dropped his usual habit of listing off the things that she needs and has, and spoke to her regularly—as regular as a servant could.

"My lady," he commenced. "You know—if you don't feel like doing anything today...you don't have to." He glanced to the bright blue sea as he said this, aware of the consequences if she didn't do her usual routine. "You can always blame me, and tell your father that I forgot to remind you."

"I-I w-w-will do no such thing, Neji-nii-sama!" Hinata looked angry for once. "A-a-a-and for y-you to even assume I-I would d-do such a thing..." She couldn't finish her sentence the way she wanted to. She shook her head, feeling angry tears wanting to fall. "H-h-have you no faith in me? Do y-you really see me as such a _despicable_ person?"

"My sincere apologies, my lady." Neji bowed, speaking monotone. "I was just thinking about your wellbeing. I shouldn't have stepped out of line."

Hinata wanted to tell him to stop it. To talk to her regularly, like a regular person should, but the words just wouldn't come out. She knew even if she uttered those words, Neji would ignore her and continue to speak to her as if he was a slave and she was his master. She could never step over those boundaries—that line—that wall he had made for himself, as he placed her at one side and he placed himself at the other side of the juncture. It baffled Hinata to the point of wanting to cry at how far apart he has placed himself from her.

"...No. I-I sh-should be the o-one ap-ologizing not you, Neji-nii-sama," she rebuked. "I just d-don't want to f-further anger father than I-I already have. And I don't want to get Neji-nii-sama involved more than I already have..."

"That's very kind of you, my lady," Neji said. "But if there is another problem, I do hope you can confide in me this time, and allow me to do my job. Please, just don't over-stress yourself today," he then added.

"Yes, and the same goes to you, Neji-nii-sama." She went into a room, where she knew her tutor would be, but not before turning back to him to say, "Neji-nii-sama...you haven't slept all night since the incident..."

Neji didn't say anything. He just stood there, drained of any emotion, looking as stiff and still as a manikin.

Even so, Hinata continued. "I-I know f-f-father can be strict...m-more so with you than with me...b-bu-but believe me...f-father m-means well. He just wants the best for all of us."

Neji's eyes flicked to her. Did she seriously say that to him? He and she both knew that her father _despised_ Neji, for reasons that were far beyond Neji. He just had a personal vendetta against Neji, for the motive that he had no clue as to way the man hated him. But he guessed it was because he looked so much like his mother. That old man was always commenting about how alike Neji looked like his mother when they were all alone, while Neji was serving him wine. He kept telling him he had her hands, and Neji hated hearing that the most, because he did not have womanly hands—he just didn't!

"...I'll keep that in mind then, my lady," he tried not to sound so bitter when saying this to her.

Hinata smiled, timidly, at him. "Th-thank you, Neji-nii-sama." She took a step in the room, and then whirled around to face him again. "You shouldn't wait here for me. Please, do yourself a favor and get some rest while I'm taking my lessons," she said kindly.

"...Is that an order? Because if it is, I will do it. But if it's not, then please allow me to wait here for you until you're finished, my lady."

Hinata's smile faltered. "N-no it's not... I do not wish to make you do something you don't want to... Y-y-you're free to do as you please," she answered, sadly, going into the room.

Neji watched her go in. He breathed out after she was out of sight in the ship. "You're much too kind...Hinata..."

He stood there by the door, for about, he'd have to say, maybe twenty minutes or so, when he heard a loud uproar up ahead, and down the hall. He glanced to it, wondering what on earth was going on.

He saw a small child and his grandfather pass by, as the child pulled his grandpa along. "Come on, grandpa! Come on! You have to see these street performers! They are amazing! You should see how much loot they have already taken from this one man—and the man still won't move from his stop! He's persistent to win all of his money back! So hurry up, grandpa!" The child pushed harder for the older man to walk faster.

"Alright, alright, Inari… Let me walk at my own pace. We'll get there when we get there."

"But it might be over by the time that we get there!" Inari's high-pitched voice, increased.

Neji stepped off the wall at the young boy's words. _Someone is playing a con on the ship?_ His lips couldn't help but twitch down. _There is only one person that I know so far that would pull a stunt like this… That caveman woman. _ _I will have her incarcerated! _ With a long stride, he made his way to the area where he heard the mob, cheering with glee and some disappointments.

* * *

A warm breeze passed between Tenten and the man as they both stared each other down. The man looked exhausted, like he had gone through a seriously tough mental battle with Tenten, and he looked just about ready to collapse as he thought about which card is the queen. He glanced back down and looked at the middle card. _It's that one! It has to be that one! I'm for sure this time!_ Even his internal voice sounded desperate now.

Naruto came then, and placed his hands around his shoulders to massage them. "Don't worry," his voice was smooth, with absolute bliss and tease. "You don't have to stress too much. Just pick the first card you think is the red queen... After all, we are only street performers, remember?" his velvety voice passed through the man's ear, sounding daunting all of a sudden.

The man's head immediately snapped up at him, but Naruto had replaced that sneer he once had with a cheerful grin. "It's your turn," he gestured to the cards.

Without haste, the man nodded at him, unsure if what he had heard from Naruto was intimidation, or not. His gaze came back to Tenten.

"Take your pick," she passed her hand over the cards just as shrewd as Naruto.

Hesitating, the man put his hand above the one in the middle, and then paused, shifting it to the one on the right. He paused again, and then went back to the middle. A streak of sweat coming down his brow, as he thought, _which one could it be...?_

And finally, he gave in. "That one," he said, doubting himself.

"Are you sure?" Naruto was behind him, whispering to him, provoking him.

"_Yes_, I'm sure! Now move away!" The man pushed him away, already at his limit. He glared at Tenten. "It's that one I say! That one! That one! _That_ _one_!" He pointed repeatedly to the middle one.

Tenten's lips slithered up, sneakily giving him a grin. "Aw, and you were so close too. But sadly, no, it isn't." She lifted it for him to see.

Unable to take it, the man fell on his knees. "How can this be? I was sure of it this time... It had to be that one."

Inside, Tenten agreed. _And it would have been, if the real card had been there. _ The man reached into his pocket, pulling out his last cent. The pedestrians in the background voiced their troubles as some of them tried to tell him not to be so foolish, but the man just wasn't listening. He had his mind-set on winning—no matter what. "Here," he uttered, looking at the coin. "My last coin... take it—"

"That won't be necessary," a voice broke out through the throng. Naruto already had his hand out to take the money, when he heard that very obnoxious and _very_ familiar voice.

Tenten's head snapped up at the male voice. _No,_ she thought, expressing her dread. _What is he doing here?! _ They both glared up at the male Hyuuga.

"You... What do you want?" she snapped.

"Yeah!" Naruto was instigating in the background.

Ignoring the men, Neji came close to the table, until he was in her face. Tenten cringed, moving her head away. "I know what you're doing," he hissed back. "And I warned you woman..."

Tenten's hard stare never wavered, nor did Neji's. "I don't know what you're talking about," she sent back, twice as rudely. "I'm just playing a game with my..._friends_."

Neji scoffed. "Don't play coy, woman. Scamming someone of everything they have is not a game played by friends."

"What are you talking about? Me and my brother bet all the time. It's what we do." Tenten directed her attention to her brother.

"Yeah, and I lose every time," Naruto fortified, unaware of how ridiculous he sounded.

Neji refrained from smacking himself. _Why did the blond have to be so foolish?_ And the worse thing about it was that Neji was almost certain the boy wasn't doing it on purpose. It was just coming out naturally...and that's what he dreaded the most.

Tenten snickered victoriously, making her point. "See?" she said, complacent.

"No I do not see," Neji was frustrated. "All I see is a bunch of commoners using their street filled ways to _con_ innocent pedestrians!" Neji grabbed her arm to pull out the queen of hearts, and gestured to everyone behind him, feeling this was unjust in every possible way.

The crowd gasped. "What?"

"What did he say?"

"Con?"

"Scam?"

"Is this what this is?"

"And to think we were going to play next!"

"I'm so glad I hadn't."

"How could I be so foolish for wanting to play...?"

Many people said at once.

Naruto made an annoyed sound from under his breath and turned to the mob of people, giving them his brightest smile he could muster. "No, no. He has it all wrong. We are just common street performers. Nothing more, nothing less..." But the crowd was already dispersing, moving away from him, whispering under their breaths as they glanced back at them, untrustingly.

He growled and glared back at Neji. "See now? Look what you just did! You made them runaway!"

"And good riddance too. That's what you _both_ get for your criminal acts."

"You just took a good worth of food from our bellies, you stingy rich bastard!" Tenten blew, jerking his hold off. She couldn't take this guy's attitude any further.

"Stingy? Ape woman! It seems like you were doing just fine yesterday last night when you were stealing all that food, and stealing from this man's pocket!" Neji gestured to the man on the floor.

The man glanced up, his eyes filled with anger. "You scammed me?"

Tenten glared down at him. "No, you gambled your money away like a _fool_."

The man stood up. "Stop lying! You stole my money! I want it all back!"

"We didn't steal what you've given away." Naruto stood to face him. "We never forced you to do what you did. You willingly gave it _all_ to us, so I believe we won the money fair and square. Now I say you back off, bub, before I break your face," Naruto promised low and threatening. His eyes burning with a seriousness, meaning what he said.

Overwhelmed, the man to took a step back, spooked. "I will not stand for this _treatment_! I will have you two jailed for what you've done to me!"

"Wow. What a line," Naruto said, "like we haven't heard that one plenty of times." He waved him off not caring.

"You'll see! You have no idea _who_ you've just gotten yourself involved with!"

"Sure, sure! Just keep screaming from the other side of the ship, bub!" Naruto called out, enjoying this.

The man ran off.

The moment he did, Naruto lost that cheeky smile and rapidly came back to his sister. "Alright Tenten, now let's get the hell outta here! That idiot's getting the cops involved, and I'm not ready to go to jail any time soon!" He looked pathetic as he began to put away and collect everything in his hands.

"Me neither!" With a quickness, she helped him.

"Aye Tenten."

"Yeah?"

"That damned girly-boy is still here. What should we do?"

"I don't know. Ignore him."

"Okay. But what if he follows us?"

"Aw, stop worrying, he won't do anything! Let's just hurry up!" Tenten hissed back.

"Okay, okay! But how does he even know you anyway? He's been acting really familiar with you since he saw you. And he said something about stolen goods? How does he know about that?"

"Uh...damn. Do you remember the cheese and ham and bread from last night?"

"Yeah? It was good."

"Right?" Tenten grinned. "I could still taste it right now." She lost the smile. "Well...I didn't get it unseen. That white eyed _freak_ saw me."

"What?! How could you get caught?"

"I don't know! You should have seen him! He was like a statue, so stiff! Not even the guards had seen him standing in the corner! It was terrifying!"

"Oh that sounds awful!"

"It was!" Tenten shook her head, feeling his pity.

Meanwhile, Neji stood there with his brow twitching, listening as these two pretended he wasn't there eavesdropping on their conversation, as they talk smack about him.

Naruto was the first to speed away, not giving him a single glance, and then Tenten began to do the same, following after him, when immediately something grabbed her by the collar, choking her. She gagged as she was swung back, looking at her brother as he turned a corner; never looking back at her. She reached a hand out at him, trying to say his name, and then glanced back to see Neji holding her hostage; his pearl eyes staring down at her, angrily. She looked like a small animal caught in a hunters trap.

_Is he trying to kill me! _ "Where do you think you're going, _woman_? Do you think you can just leave when you stole all that money, _thief_!" He looked like he was about to pop with irritation.

Tenten struggled to get free. "Let me go!"

"No. Not until you payback everyone you had stolen from."

Tenten scoffs. "Well that's not going to happen, since I don't even have the money! So _HAH_! And you can't bring me in without any proof, so there's that _too_!" Tenten knew she had him, she knew she had a point, and there was nothing Neji could do. He had no proof. But Neji looked empowered now, which frightened Tenten.

"You think you've won?" he began. "I have other ways of making you work for your money."

"What?" Tenten looked at him, surprised and petrified. "I'm not working! Put me down! Put me down, _now_!" Tenten swung her body in the air.

Neji held her close. "That's not going to happen. Now come along." He dragged her with him.

"No!" Tenten tried to pull away. "No! Naruto! _Help_! Help! Someone help me! I'm being kidnapped by a man with girly feature!"

How could this be happening to Tenten? All she kept thinking about was whore houses and how much she didn't want to work in one…

* * *

**A/N: **For the replies for the guest, I'm going to reply in order form who posted first, kay?:)

Guest 1: Well, I see your point; however, you have to understand that I'm basing this off Titanic, and the way Rose described these people and the way some of the rich people portrayed themselves, they did come off as—well, for a better words—like assholes. Now, I'm not saying they all are bad, because of course they aren't. Like I've pointed out, Tsunade and her family are a caring wealthy family, so I'm not _technically_ labeling ever rich person, and if you read carefully, the only ones that are saying this are only Tenten, who's constantly throwing her values at her siblings, and Ino, who's just that friend that enjoys to gossip and is trying to protect Sakura by telling her not to trust these people. Haven't you ever had that friend that comes up to you when you're new to a circle of people that tells you who to speak openly with and who not to?:) Well, I've had a couple.;) But anyway, thank you for your review, and hopefully you stay on board with us!:D

Guest 2: I know! I literally can't wait for all that to come about! And the great thing about it is that it's so close to my birthday! So yay for that too!XD LOL thank you for your review and that reminder.x3

Guest 3: LOL I updated! And I'm glad you do.


	13. Chapter 13: Gotta love that bromance

******Don't Ever Let Me Go******

**Chapter 13: **_**Gotta love that bromance**_

**Author's Note: **Okay, I have a confession. I just freaking love the cannon paring of Choji and Karui! And their baby-girl is just adorable too!x3 I just couldn't help myself!xD Anyway, back to the subject at hand, thank you everyone for your wonderful reviews, and I gotta say, I'm glad I've changed many of your minds about this story. It just makes me happy, knowing that I'm doing somewhat of a good job with this story.:')

****Disclaimer: ****I don't own Naruto or the Titanic!

* * *

Steam sizzled off the grills as cooks placed the meats on it.

There were workers: waiters, chiefs, and maids running around rapidly around the large, yet inconveniently cramped kitchen quarters.

"I need more spices over here!"

"Hey! I asked for some red peppers a while ago! Where the hell are they? This food isn't going to get done on its own!"

"The orders for tables seven, eight, and ten are done!"

"Table twelve is asking for another bowl of soup!"

"Are you kidding me?! I still haven't even gotten my red peppers yet! Tell someone else to fucking do it!"

Choji walked in then. "I got it! I got it!" He put on his apron, and came to stand by the other chief. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "You certainly look pissed, Karui." He chuckled.

The red-haired, dark-skinned woman picked up her knife, and pointed it at him. "Don't think just 'cause we're working together that means you can get all chummy with me, fatty," she threatened. "Just hurry up and do your job and no one will get hurt here, comprende?"

Choji sweat dropped, backing away from the pointy object in her hand, laughing nervously. "Yeah. I get the message."

"Now, now, Karui." A male voice tuned in above the rambunctious and clamorous workers. His tanned hand grabbing hers holding the knife, and brought it down on the wood board, impelling it with the pointy end. "You shouldn't threaten colleagues like that. It's not very _nice_." The white-haired male chewed on a toothpick.

"Omoi, would you prefer I threaten you then?" She lifted the knife right above his jugular. Her hawk eyes ablaze.

The dark-eyed male gulped. "I'd prefer to live," he countered, elevated the blade away from his throat.

"Karui, Choji, Omoi! I'd say you get back to work before Ibiki sees you three!" Another female worker with a shapely body and bleach blonde hair said to them.

"Nobody asked you for your opinion, Samui!" Karui yelled at the female. "You just get your big breasted-ass back out there and serve the customers!"

Omoi snorted. "You're just jealous 'cause Samui has more hooters than you, Karui," he muttered.

Karui picked up her knife. "I dare you to say that again, Omoi. C'mon! Say it! I'll cut off that precious dick of yours and make you a chest-less woman as well!"

"That's enough!" A vehement voice boomed throughout the room.

The rowdy bunch stilled; their voices dulled, as they all looked to the source of the noise.

Karui dropped her knife. "Shit." _It's the boss..._

A man with three unmistakable scars running down his face stood before all of them with a nicely pressed black suit and tie and white button up underneath.

He opened his mouth; a flurry of words came out of it. "You all have guest," he began, slowly and agonizingly calm—for the moment. "And yet you all decide that this is the moment to start messing around!" Everyone flinched at his ear-splitting echo. "I will not tolerate insubordination, or negligence! That is not why I hired you all! Now I say you all better get your shits together and speed up your workload ten times over! I will not tolerate any misconception! If I even see one single customer come up to me telling me that they spilled a drink and nobody came out to quickly clean it up, or the chiefs didn't perform as outstanding as they should have, it will be all your heads!" The sizable man looked daggers at each and every one of them. It was so damned quiet that even a pin drop could be heard if it happened. Not to mention the tension was so thick in there that someone could slice it down with a knife. There was just no way anyone could lighten the mood so suddenly—or so they thought...

"Clean up on table three! Yeah. The little girl made a mess as she spilled juice all over the table." Kiba had bad timing as he suddenly came into the kitchen. He cut his walk short, as he gawked at everyone. "...Is there something going on? Did we have a team meeting or something, because I totally missed it…?"

Ibiki gave him a good _long_, deadly, stare. Everyone dreaded what may come next from the man, as they feared for Kiba's safety. A smirk then slithered up to Ibiki's lips. "Do you see that?" He gestured to Kiba. "Now that's commitment!" His face contorted. "So what the hell are you all waiting for?! There's a _spill_ on table three! Go clean it up!"

Right away, all the workers went back to work; many waiters going out with food in their hands and rags in another hand, all speaking at the same time.

"Great job my boy." He came and put an arm around Kiba. "For a boy with absolutely no experience, you sure have showed me a great deal."

Kiba chuckled, trying not to look too uncomfortable. "Well it is my job, sir," he responded, meekly, scratching his cheek.

"It is," Ibiki agreed. "And since I see you as a capable staff member, I will not be so concerned about you getting a certain job done right."

Kiba was confused.

But Ibiki didn't mind. He quickly explained to him what he had in mind for him. Kiba listened intently.

"There are a couple of guests in this ship that are very important in this world, and have requested their meals in their rooms. I want you to take these meals up to them without a single mistake. Understand?"

Kiba gulped, but nodded. "Yeah. I got it. Bring the food to them without faults. I can do that much..." _I think.  
_  
"That a boy." Ibiki smacked his arm, roughly, in a kind gesture, smirking at him.

"Heh...ow." Kiba rubbed at his aching arm.

After that, Kiba got the plates ready, and hastily made his way out of the kitchen.

Gently, he brought the cart out, gulping, and hoping he wouldn't spill anything in the staff hallway, as he came out with his back first, assuming no one was there. However, the moment he made it out without a sweat, someone almost crashed into him.

"Unhand me!"

"Dammit woman! Will you stop fidgeting?"

"_Never_! I don't want to do this! I don't want to go to a whore house!" There were dragging sounds, as someone pulled back, brushing against Kiba's backside.

"What kind of lewd thoughts are you having?!" The male shouted, pulling the woman along.

Kiba stopped before he could get hit; feeling like something heavy had dropped in the pit of his stomach as he steadied himself and his cart. _Holy shit!_ _That was close..._ He let out a breath of air, and then he glared at the couple arguing with each other.

_What the hell?!  
_  
He lost the ability to speak as he saw just who it was that was being dragged. _Tenten!_ He turned back around to face the door, before she could see him. _What the hell is she doing here, in this spot, where all the workers come through, and with that kind of flashy man?!  
_  
Tenten didn't like wealthy people, she constantly told her friends how much she hated them, and yet, here she was with an outrageously good-looking upper-class man, with an over the top suit, and hair so glossy and long, it looked like a rich woman's hair. He looked like he was made out of a million bucks. Someone, Kiba would never see Tenten with.

Suddenly she screamed. "_Ah_!"

Alarmed, Kiba spun around to see what had happened, worry etched all over his face. His mouth was slightly agape as he stared at the two fighting.

"Put me down! Put me down!" The brunette smacked Neji with her fists on his back, as he held her in place, on his shoulder, not budging. She kept screaming as they continued to move.

Kiba was so surprised, he had no words. He didn't know how to react to these two. The man didn't look threatening, and Tenten didn't look like she was in any deep shit either. They were just arguing. If anything, these two looked like a comedy show as they argued, like a couple of clowns. No wait, more like a couple in a relationship.

"Will you keep _still_?! I am not taking you to any type of whore house!"

"No! No! I can't trust you! You're _rich_!" Tenten beat him some more, her eyes closed shut tight. "Help! Help!" She opened her eyes to look around for anyone that could help and landed on Kiba. "Sir, please, help me—_Kiba_?!"

_Shit!_ The said man took a step back, ready to run away. He hit his cart with his back, and looked to it; his desperation showing on his face.

She looked astonished to see him. And just like that, it was like everything turned around. Tenten's face was pink, but now it was crimson. Her eyes looked wild like a bulls. "Wait!" She thrashed harder all of a sudden.

Neji held her tighter. "Are you _crazy_? If you keep squirming like this I'm going to drop you!"

"Then do it!" She looked back at him, mad. "I know that guy!" Neji rolled his eyes and ignored her, tossing her more back in place.

"Ah!" Tenten bounced. She glared back at Neji.

"Hey! Didn't you hear me?! _Stop_!" His stride didn't falter. She huffed. Her wrathful gaze came down then on Kiba next. "Kiba! What are you doing here?! Hey! Don't walk away from me!"

Kiba turned his back on her, hurriedly walking down the hall, lowering as he ignored her, pushing his cart. It looked like everyone seemed to be ignoring Tenten today, which was beginning to piss off the girl even more.

"KIBA! I'm going to _kill_ you when I see you again!" She pointed at him, threatening him from across the hall, as Neji turned the corner.

Kiba frowned, looking back at her one last time. _Why the hell does she have to be so loud? It's like if it's not Naruto or Sakura, its Tenten too. The family is just crazy! _It was all just filled with physically strong angry, forceful, and obnoxious bullies!

"Stay still!"

"Never!"

Neji groaned. "What has gotten into you all of a sudden?!"

"Are you really asking me that?! Do you not see the position I'm in?!"

Tenten's voice disappeared the further they moved apart.

Kiba let out a breath of air he hadn't even noticed he was holding. "These girls are just a bunch of maniacs..." He remembered Sakura and how she had choked him. Kiba shuddered by just the thought. If Sakura made him feel like that, then just imagine Tenten.

_She'd probably rip my balls out...!  
_  
He moved on ahead, soon after, trying not to think about it anymore, trying to get as far away as he possibly could, while hoping this was it, and he wouldn't experience anymore hectic problems caused by any of the Haruno's.

Surprisingly, things were going well for him as he delivered the food with no mistakes what so ever. He thought perhaps he could get through the day, like this, flawlessly, without any faults like he promised...but that was _so_ wrong. He shouldn't have gotten his spirits up so high so suddenly. Because the moment he knocked on his last customers door, an able-body came crashing into him, dropping his cart and him, and spilling his food as well. Plates clattered to the ground, causing a disturbance.

_Shit..._

It all went downhill for Kiba from there.

Naruto ran with persistence and a big grin on his face. He was just too thrilled. He had gotten away with scamming some upper-class idiot and had made lots of money, to which he was still holding onto (inside the box) as he ran.

"This is just great, Tenten! This totally makes up for the money last night from that old schmuck!" He howled so emphatic. Ultimately, he was innate of Tenten's presence not being there.

He ran through the entire ship, losing himself in the big maze that was the ship as he went through rows and rows of doors—rooms—sections—and work areas, all so he could get away.

Finally when he felt "_they_" were far enough, he took the opportune moment to look back at her, finding it funny that the brown-haired girl hadn't responded since their prior get away.

"Hey, Ten, you've been awfully quiet." He chuckled. "Don't tell me you're suddenly feeling bad... Ten?" Naruto did a big circle around himself, finding no one. "Tenten? Where...?" He ran back, frantic now, looking for his sister. "Where the hell did she run off to?!"

_Bam!_

He slammed into someone. "_Oof_!" Naruto fell over; food falling all over him and his clothes, as well as the person that fell alongside him, and the box in his hand falling to the side, spilling a few coins on the floor.

_Aw. God... that hurt._ Naruto held his head, moaning. _I just hope the other guy's okay..._ He glanced up, only to meet eye to eye with a familiar dog-eyed stare.

Naruto gapped. "...Kiba?"

"Naruto?" He and the other guy said at the same time, except Kiba's was more distressed than his, as he gulped.

Naruto blinked, trying to register all this in his mind. His aspect burned angry. "_Kiba_!" He pointed.

Suddenly they both scrambled to their feet, the dog-lover trying to get away, before the blond got his hands on him.

"_Hey_! Where the hell do you think _you're_ going! Get back here _fucker_!"

"As if! That's not going to happen, idiot!"

Naruto tackled him.

Kiba yelped. "_Fuck_!" He collided with the door. "Uh!" he groaned. His face hit the wall first.

He was being squished under Naruto's hold as Naruto held him in place with his body and elbow, crumpling his white work suit under his vice.

_God dammit!_ Kiba was sure his cheek and forehead were going to bruise. "Why the hell do you Haruno's always have to resort to fucking violence?!"

"Cut the crap—you oversized dog—and answer me, what are you doing on this ship?"

But Kiba was still speaking. "God dammit... First Sakura now you... Can this ship ride get any worse? What's next? Tenten's going to jump out of nowhere and rip out my balls?! Can't a guy just fucking have a peaceful and safe boat ride to America—?!"

"Not when you owe me money, dumbass!" Naruto slammed him onto the door. "Now where's my money, asshole? Or were you planning on leaving to America without paying me?" Naruto grinned down at him menacingly. He frowned. "And what's this about you meeting Sakura? When the hell did you meet my sister, huhh, dog breath?" Naruto slammed him a couple more times on the door.

Kiba was getting mad now. "Ugh! Will you cut that out, you fucking blond _troll_!" He elbowed Naruto in his stomach.

"_Oh_!" Naruto hunched over, holding his stomach.

Kiba stood straight, cleaning himself up... Well the little he could clean off since he had food stains on his clothes now. He made an annoyed face at his clothes. _Great, what the hell am I going to tell the boss now?_ He shook his head, unable to figure it out right now. _I'll probably get Genma to help me out, _he thought, grinning down at Naruto.

"So," he passed a hand through his hair, picking out some carrot strings from it, tossing them to the ground in disgust. "I'm guessing she hasn't told you yet, since you're asking me. Meaning you don't know."

"What don't I know?" Naruto said through a pained tone, glaring up at Kiba, still holding onto his belly. That fucker had hit him pretty hard.

Kiba only shook his head, smiling stiffly, like he had a secret. "Ah-nah. I'm not getting involved in this one. If you want to know, you're going to have to confront her about this one yourself. However, just make sure you tell that airhead of a sister of yours to stop messing around with _powers_ completely out of her league."

Naruto stiffened. "What did you say?"

"You heard me, dobe." Kiba held a challenging look.

"Do you want to die, mutt-face?!"

"Bring it! I'm already all messy, meat for brains!" Kiba got into his fighting stance.

"_Rah_!" Naruto charged. He socked him in his face, as Kiba hit him in his side, both pounding at each other as they fell back onto the door.

"Alright! Alright! I'm coming! Don't get your panties in a bunch, _dear_!" A male voice called out from behind the door. Naruto and Kiba weren't paying attention to it.

"You called my sister a slut?!" Naruto hit Kiba, banging his head on the door.

"Yeah! I'm calling her _something_! And that could be around the range of words I was thinking about!" Kiba socked him back, hitting his face.

"I'm gonna fucking kill you!" Naruto head-butted him.

"Ugh!" Kiba's head swung back to the door.

Nevertheless, the instant he did that, the door flew open, and he and Naruto tumbled in, hitting the floor of the inside of the room, hard.

Naruto and Kiba groaned, as Naruto held his face, and Kiba tried rubbing at his aching back. Both boys were a bloody mess.

"Um... Am I interrupting something?" An overbearing white-haired man stood over them, gazing down at them with his own amused look.

Dumbfounded, Kiba and Naruto had no words as they gawked up at him. It was hard to come up with a solution or explanation as to why they were on the ground covered in food and blood, when all they could think of is 'they got down'.

Nonetheless, that never stopped them from blurting out the first words that came into mind. "I can explain!" They said at the same time, and glared at each other. They glanced back at Jiraiya, and swiftly pointed at each other. "He started it!" They growled at each other. "Stop mimicking me! I'm not! You are! Stop it!" Naruto and Kiba socked each other, groaning as they hit each other's noses, holding onto their throbbing nostrils.

"Jesus!"

"God!"

"Did you really have to aim there, Kiba? You couldn't go for my throat like Tenten does?" Naruto says, nasally.

"I should be telling you that, _idiot_!"

"Yeah, but unlike me, you don't have to worry about your good-looks, beaver-brains!"

"Screw you, bastard! I have much better looks than you, bitch!"

"As if! I can pick up way better looking chicks than your cheesy-ass!"

"Ch'yeah! More like transvestites, you faggot!"

"Oh for heaven's sake, Jiraiya! What is it with all this noise?! Please don't tell me you've hit on the maids again, or I promise you I will throw a vase at your noggin." A blonde busty woman walked out of the room. She glared at the older man, crossing her arms under her breasts. "Well?"

Jiraiya chuckled nervously, passing a hand through his neck. "I haven't," he confessed.

"Then what is it..." Tsunade's honey gaze came down to Naruto and Kiba's dirty complexion.

"I found me a couple of clowns." Jiaraya smiled, looked down at them.

"Oh..."

"Is that so?" Another voice interrupted. The group glanced back at the doorway. A young man around his thirties with fair hair stood with his wife, Naruto's box under his arm.

"I was wondering what all of this mess was about, dad," the man said to Jiraiya, pointing over his shoulder, outside.

"Yes, we feared Tsunade had kicked you out—_again_," the red-haired woman standing by the male said next, smiling anxiously. "But I suppose we were wrong."

They all looked down at Naruto and Kiba then.

_We're so screwed!_ Naruto and Kiba gulped, fearing what may come next.


	14. Chapter 14: The Cat's Out of the Bag

**Don't Ever Let Me Go**

**Chapter 14: **_**The Cat's Out of the Bag**_

**Author's Note: **Hi everybody! It's been a God awful long time, I know. But I've just been _very_ distracted lately. I'm not only a full time student, but I work full time to. It gets really hard to focus on my hobbies when I have those other things to think about. It saddens me to say that I've had this chapter and other done for a long time now, but I just never got around in cleaning them up to post them, until yesterday.

I actually would have had this up by yesterday if Fanfiction hadn't shut down out of nowhere… So, anyway, what I'm trying to say is I'm sorry for this very, very late reply, and I will try to get the other chapters up as soon as possible—that, I do promise.:) I hope I still haven't lost any of you because of the long wait. But, to those that have stuck around until now, thank you. I very much appreciate it, and I will be finishing up this story. I've worked too long on it to just let it be sitting around the place like this.

Anyway, this is chapter 14. I hope you like it! I personally had a lot of fun messing with this chapter, and I think you all will know what I mean with that when you read it.;)

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or the Titanic!

* * *

Karin came out of her room, as she laughed with one hand to her lips at what one of her friends said about her. "Oh ladies, ladies, please! Let's not remember what had happened last night!" She chimed in, red faced. "I'm already as embarrassed as is! I mean, my fiancé won't even utter a word to me..." Her expression then fell, thinking about Sasuke and last night. He didn't even touch her, after all that seducing she had done, let alone looked at her. It was like his whole center point was on an entirely different object, or space. It wasn't her he was thinking about, but another... It frightened Karin to even think about those thoughts.

"Oy vey, Karin, don't be so sad." One of her friends, a dark haired girl, with a bob haircut, said to her, putting an arm around her.

"Mm-hm. I also agree. You shouldn't be sad because you wanted to express yourself more to Sasuke." Another girl said, with long black flowing hair tied back with a purple ribbon.

Bob-hair nodded along with her. "Yeah, and it's not like he has a right to be angry! That despicable Uchiha, how dare he laugh and flirt with another woman in front of you!" She clenched her fists and jaw, showing her friends how angry she was. "Couldn't he tell how jealous you were?!"

"Not to mention that he also had left at the same time that pink-haired woman had..." Purple ribbon fanned herself, not looking to the two other girls. "It's very suspicious."

Nevertheless, Karin still attempted to defend her fiancé. "No...It's not like that—"

"—isn't it?" Purple ribbon looked back at Karin. "Come now, Karin, we are all grown women... And we all know how pigheaded men can be when it comes to a beautiful woman. And that new woman was _stunning_." Purple ribbon did not lie. "She had everyone focused on her, even your family, who seem to have fallen head over heels for her."

Karin's brows farrowed. Yes, she had noticed all that—plus more, but she'd still like to think that none of that mattered anyway.

"Even if that's true, Kin, Ami... Sasuke would never leave me. We made a vow, and he also _needs_ me." She gestured to herself, putting a hand to her chest. _He does need me..._ The little voice in her head tried to reassure, but it only came out doubtful in the end.

Ami and Kin frowned at their friend, sympathy in their eyes as they looked to one another, and then back to Karin.

"Oh Karin..." was all Ami said.

Kin smiled. "Of course he wouldn't. Men in our society are stupid—when it comes to women. However, when it comes to _money_, they always choose the money every time, and dear—you have a lot of that."

Ami nodded encouragingly. "Sasuke-kun would never leave you for that harlot. You've completely enticed him, Karin, love. You have him grappling in the palm of your hand."

Karin had tears pooling at the back of her eyes. "You both are far too kind to me, Ami, Kin!" She hugged them, closing her eyes, and holding them tight. Oh what would she ever do without her two close friends? They were like the roses in her garden of life; always there to cheer her up when she is down and lonesome. She was just so happy to have them with her.

She opened her eyes then and was met with the sight of that boy with the cap from last night. She looked at him astonished, watching him as he crept by the walls, looking from both his shoulders as he made his way back to the halls where they had met last night. What was he doing there, creeping around in this time of day?

Karin followed him with her ruby red-eyes. He was completely unaware that she was watching him. He turned a corner.

"Uh-uh... Ladies, will you excuse me for a moment. I seem to have forgotten something in my room," she said in a hurry to get away.

"Sure, love. You take your time. Don't over stress yourself, Karin, love," Ami said, haughtily.

"And who on earth would do that?" Karin joked, smiling to her friend. "Not me of course." She waved to her friends' goodbye, promising to meet them afterwards, downstairs.

Once they disappeared from her sight, that sublime air about her that she once had, disappeared. She looked serious for a change—a bit too serious in fact...

_I'm not stupid. I know I've seen that person somewhere before, and I am going to get to the bottom of this._ She tailgated the boy, keeping a clear distance from him, so that he wouldn't catch on to her following close behind.

Last night that stranger had refused to look at her; it was mysterious, and quite frankly suspicious. Why would that boy have a need to hide from her? Why did Sai protect him so much? Why did those emerald eyes bother her _so much_? She had so many questions running through her head and none of them had any answers yet. But today, Karin was going to get her answer. Oh yes, she was going to get it alright…

* * *

Sakura kept to the shadows as she advanced to Ino's room. She was doing good, avoiding everyone as they were unaware of her presence, or so she liked to believe. She was oblivious of the red-head that had spotted her.

"What are you doing?"

She stilled, hearing the stiff voice. It was a male voice, and one she was beginning to get used to.

Sakura relaxed her body. "I'm being sneaky, can't you tell?"

Sai rolled his eyes, looking to the heavens. "No, I can't tell. You're just making yourself look more suspicious. It's no wonder you got caught yesterday last night."

"Well excuse me for not being little Miss _perfect_. And the reason I got caught was because that ship officer was prejudice against me, for looking poor," Sakura defended. "Besides, if I would have known that was going to happen, I would have been extra mindful."

Sai snorted. "Whatever. Now come on!" He grabbed her arm, leading her.

"Whoa!—Sai!—let go! I can walk myself!" Sakura tried to shrug him off, but the man wouldn't budge.

"Will you be quiet? You're going to attract attention." He stops, and looks down at her. "It's already bad enough we had to lie to your siblings and leave at different times so they wouldn't say anything about the matter, but I also had to wait for you—by this spot—for over twenty minutes because you wanted to be _sneaky_."

Guilt struck her, like a second cord. Why did he have to put it like that? "I am _sneaky_." Needless to say, that didn't mean she wasn't going to come off as assertive.

Sai sighed. "Unbelievable." He put a hand to his temple, but conscripts a smile for her. "You're unbelievable, Sakura."

Her lips, nose and eyes crinkle, and she makes a silly face at him. "You know that smile isn't working for you, right? And I know. I am amazing," she says, conceited, shrugging. "So let's drop it, 'kay?" She grinned up at him. "And give me back my hand." She pulls at her wrist, pulling out her hand from his clasp. "If you continue to grab me whenever you please, people are going to start to think that you're gay, and I'm you're gay lover."

"What makes you think I care?" He retorts, and a soft beat happens between them.

Sakura covers her shock with another smile, this one more inept than the last one. "Don't be silly," she says, avoiding a dangerous route she knew was just waiting to happen. "Your career just started, and you have a lot of reputation to uphold. We can't let this little, _false_, scandal get in your way."

"Oh, I've had countless scandals to deal with from my part, and my brother's. I think one more little scandal won't drop my career down the drain."

_He's had more than one? Jesus, just what did he do?_ Sakura almost had the nerve to ask.

He puts his arm around her shoulder. "And what shock would it be, when the people find out that you're not a boy, but a _girl_. I guess I wouldn't be gay anymore after that," he mocks her with that charming smile of his.

She snorted, pushing him away from her, playfully. "I don't plan on exposing myself, Sai, so unless you want to be labeled as a homosexual, let's keep an arm length distance, okay?"

Sai takes that time to suck in a deep breath. "Ah, you play a hard game here, Sakura. But I'll keep my distance just because I'm not ready for that label: the whole homo label."

Grateful, she smiles at the way he casually spoke to her. "Thank you, Sai." She didn't know for sure if Sai was just playing with her, or not, by the way he was freely speaking to her, giving her mixed messages, but Sakura liked to think that he wasn't actually serious about everything he says to her; that they were all just jokes coming out of his mouth, because they were friends. And she hoped he understood that that's all they would ever be: _friends_.

They then made it to Ino's room and knocked, completely defenseless as Karin stood to the side, keeping to the corners, observing them.

Ino ripped the door open. She peeked out, and grinned up at Sakura, and looked peculiarly up at Sai. She looked to both sides, down the hall, and then grabbing Sakura by the collar, forcing her into the room. Sakura yelped, surprised, and Sai languidly walked in after, shutting the door.

Meanwhile, Karin hid from view when Ino turned to look down the hall she was hiding in, and peeked back out to see the scene play out. "What on earth...?" She looked surprised and confused at the same time. _What was all that about?_ She turned away, leaning against the wall, and looking to the other wall ahead of her, trying to put the puzzles all together here.

_There was Ino... That boy... That artist-who is male… All completely alone in the same room. In her room. Why?_

Mentally, Karin was slowly coming to a standstill as she was coming to a conclusion. She waited to see if they would come out.

* * *

"What took you so long?" Ino said to Sakura, and then glanced to Sai, one hand on her hip. "And what is he doing here?" A gasped escapes her. "Does he know?"

"Sorry," Sakura says. "I was trying to get here unseen, and yes, he knows."

Ino removed that astounded expression from her face, and looked to Sai. He was leaning on the wall, arms crossed, looking like a dream, as he naturally posed.

"How?"

"Well he's known all along, Ino." Sakura scratched the back of her neck nervously. "I told you, remember? We've met on the ship, on the deck, while I was in my regular, everyday clothes..."

"Plus," he suddenly put in. "Your lying skills are horrible," he said to Ino.

She opened her mouth, dumbfounded by what he said to her. "I beg your pardon?"

"Oh you heard me, beautiful." He pushed off the wall. "You're a bad liar."

"Sai," Sakura whispered, like she was an alert buzzer. "What are you doing?"

Ino looked outraged. "I am not!" Her voice rose. She put a hand to her chest. "I am an _outstanding_ liar. Why, I practically lie all the time, 24 hours of everyday of my life," she says like that was something to be proud about.

Sai's fake smile showed up. "And yet I saw right through your unimproved lying."

And this was the day Ino's mouth fell open. She quickly shut it after, looking very angry, and not to mention embarrassed. "Sakura," but her voice was very sweet and threatening. "I love your friend." It was funny, because her expression said otherwise. "He just has a knack for words," it all came out sarcastically. "You should definitely bring him around more often... NOT!" She scowled. "I never want to see this artistic baboon in my room ever again, got it?" She pointed to Sai.

Sakura sweat dropped, her hands up, surrendering. "Sai doesn't have to be here," she agreed, shaking her head along with her.

Sai chuckled. "And it's not like I want to be either." Coolly, he looked to Ino, before roaming down to Sakura. "You'll be at the dining room today?"

"I-I don't know..." Sakura looked to Ino's irritated figure for an answer.

Frowning, Ino said, "Yes. We will be there."

Sakura beamed. "Then yeah, I will be. Why?"

"No reason." Sai eye-smiled. "Just expect to see me there too." He bent down to her level, lacing his creamy hand around hers. He picked it up and brought it to his lips, kissing it. "Good day, Ms. Haruno."

Sakura held her breath. The way his lips touched her hand, so soft and tempting, and so sensually, it felt like he was sending her a secret massage with no words, but a kiss.

Ino scoffed. "Just hurry up and leave." She broke Sakura's spell, bringing her back to life. She flushed a deep crimson color and snatched her hand back to herself, holding it for dear life.

Sai snorted at both the women, and turned, advancing towards the door.

He made Ino crabby. "Hurry up, you disturbing artist!"

But Sai wasn't upset. What was the hurry? He liked watching her blow some steam. It was entertaining. "It was nice to meet you to beautiful." He left.

Ino blushed. "I'd say the same thing, but I'd be lying, you jerk! And it's Ino!" She threw a plush pillow at the door, huffy at herself for stooping so low as to blush in his presence.

"What kind of man... Sakura, how could you bring such a beast into my room?"

Sakura held back a laugh. "He's not that bad, Ino..."

"Not that bad? _Not that bad_?" she repeated. "Did you see the way he spoke to me?" She jabbed a finger towards the door. "He is worse than bad! He's a...he's a no good son of a—"

"Ah!" Sakura waved her hands in front of her, trying not to laugh. "Like I said, he's not that bad. Besides his sharp tongue, Sai is a good man. He's saved me plenty of times from getting caught."

"...How many times?"

Sakura looked up at her, thinking about it. "Like three."

Ino groaned, turning away from her, and approaching her room. "Fine. Fine. Whatever." She turned back to her, sharply, coming way past boundary lines, and facing Sakura. "But I can't believe you fell for his charms, Sakura!"

Sakura's mouth fell open. "I did not!"

Ino went back to her bedroom. "He's worse than Sasuke!"

Sakura flushed. Even his name could make her feel uncomfortable—in a good way.

"He's rude, and insensitive, and what's up with that smile? There's no affability in it!" Ino popped out her head from the door way, giving Sakura a suspicious look. "Please tell me you haven't fallen for _both_ of them?" She kept a steady stare on Sakura.

Sakura laughed, insecurely. "I haven't!" How could she possibly do that? She still didn't know if she literally had feelings for Sasuke or if it was just a simple crush that would soon dissipate once she met another man.

Ino had her qualms about that reply, but kept her misgivings to herself. She didn't even know why she cared so much, when it was her friend's love life, not hers. She estimates it's because she wants to find her friend a good suitor that will marry her and support her for the rest of her life that she cared so much. Affirmative, Ino nods. "Good. Don't go for that," she said, making a you-could-do-better face, disappearing again, and rummaging in her bedroom. "I may be a fool for thinking love would come so simply with me, but I won't make the same mistake twice," she changed the conversation.

Sakura looked to the doorway, curiously. "What are you going to do?"

"Correction. It is what we're going to do." Ino popped out with a gorgeous sky blue dress on, and an eye-catching yellow and white one in her hands.

Sakura looked to the dress longingly and back at Ino. "What _we're_ going to do?"

"Yes, what _we're_ going to do," Ino was concrete. "I am not going to sit around mopping all the time while the love of my life is marrying another woman."

"...So then what? You're going to try and win him back?" Sakura lifted a curious brow at her.

"Don't be absurd. I'd never do that." Ino shook her head. "Shikamaru has chosen his fate. He has chosen to be with that woman, then so be it. I will not waste my time on him anymore, just like he decided not to waste his time on me either."

"So...?"

Ino grinned at her. "I'm going to find me another man I can love, _proudly_."

"Another man?" Sakura was by far surprised.

"Yes." Ino was still smiling. "Brilliant isn't it? And you're going to find yourself one too." She never gave her time to dwell on it. "Now come along." She grabbed Sakura by her wrist. "We have a lot of work ahead of us before we leave." She sighed, glancing behind her at Sakura's boy-ish appearance.

"But I don't want to—"

"I don't want to hear any _buts_," Ino spoke over her. "We're going to do this, and one day you're gonna look back and thank me for this hospitality."

By the time she was done, Sakura was all prepped and ready to go. She looked at her reflection in the mirror as she could never get enough of it. She was just so striking, she couldn't believe her eyes, or that the person in front of her was her for that matter. She was wearing that sunflower colored dress that Ino was holding up for her before, with her hair pinned up half way, as her pink curls fell down in soft waves by her shoulders and lower back.

Ino beamed. "You look _fabulous_ my dear! But that bruise on your wrist is very obvious. Where did you get it?" She examined the purple marks on Sakura's wrist displeased.

"Oh, uh," Sakura took her hand back, timidly, a bit embarrassed about the marking. "Last night, while I was leaving your room, a guard suddenly restrained me. He came out of nowhere…"

Ino, shocked, put a hand to her lips. "He did that to you? How horrible. We should get him fired for treating a lady with such a manner! Quickly, tell me how he looks, so I can call this abusive behavior in and get him fired for being blasphemous with you, or anyone for that matter!" Ino stormed to her phone, by the wall, sitting on a luxurious counter made out of marble and gold, and painted with shiny pink flowers and green leaves.

She lifts up the part of the phone she could listen through and speak through, but Sakura wrenches the phone handle away from Ino before she could speak through it. "Ino no... It's okay. Just leave it…"

"It's okay? Sakura, this isn't _okay_. People shouldn't be treating you like this. You do not deserve to get this injustice," Ino felt very strongly about this matter, Sakura could see it spelled out on her face.

"Well, this isn't the first time I've been treated this way, because of the way I look, or what status I seem to portray. So, I'm sorry if you feel passionate about this matter, but I'm used to it already, and what happened _already_ happened…" Sakura didn't know how else to explain it.

"Yes," Ino searched her eyes, "but if you speak up, you can make a change."

Sakura laughs, like that the most impassible thing she had ever heard. "Believe me, I've tried to speak up for myself, and that landed me in jail for at least a day. So, let's just move on and forget about it, okay?"

Ino didn't want to though. _I never knew her life was so sad… _She never realized how hard someone else's life, with a lower class, could be. She wished she could speak up for her friend, whom only seemed to accept the maltreatment she was receiving. Nevertheless, Ino gave into her harmless demands. "Alright, Sakura, I'll let it go. But if I see it, I will not keep my mouth shut. This, I promise you."

Sakura smiles at her with so much spirit. "Thank you Ino. You're the first person to ever tell me that. It makes me happy to know that not everyone in the world is heartless like my sister says."

Ino giggles, locking her arm with Sakura's. "She says that?"

"Only about other people that aren't in our family."

"Well then, I'm really going to have to meet this sister so I can change her point of view."

Sakura laughs, bubbly. "I really wish you would. I'd be so amazed!" They step out of the room, like they were the bestest friends.

"You think I'm not serious? I so would, if you just bring her around," Ino lays it on her. "Why, I'd like to meet this sister of yours one day."

"Oh no, trust me, you wouldn't…" _Because Tenten would not be as excited, as you are, to meet you…_

* * *

Meanwhile, as the door opened, Karin made sure to quickly hide, while keeping a close eye on the pair that came out. She was agitated. They had her waiting this long; she was going to get to see just who Ino was prancing around with. However, as she looked on further, she realized that there was no longer a single boy with a cap, but a pretty girl with jewels in her bubble gum hair, wearing a sunflower dress.

She stood with one hand pressed to her lips, blocking her surprise. _Oh my... Where was the boy?_ Was that girl, Sakura, in that room with Ino this whole time? Karin waited to see if the man was going to come out after them. She knew Sai was no longer there, because she saw him walk out. So she waited for the boy. But the boy never came out, and Ino closed the door shut, locking it.

Karin was mystified. _Just what is going on?_ Suddenly, it dawned on her that Sakura _could be_ that boy! It made sense. Those same green eyes; the way the boy would avoid her when she would ask him questions; and the reason Sakura was so enigmatic that no one knew her, or her background. _It was because she was a phony!  
_  
Karin's red gaze clouded over, like a blizzard. "Your little secret has just been exposed, ladies..." She walked away from the ignorant pair. Sakura was no longer seen as competition any longer, and Karin would not lose to that penniless street beggar. _Sasuke would never stoop to that level._ She knew her fiancé. A smile crinkled her face, pleased to know that was so. She now had no qualms in the world bothering her about the other girl, because she knew she had the upper hand.

* * *

**AN:** Yay! It finished. If you guys liked it, then don't be shy, leave a little comment down below telling me about your predictions, how you think I did, or tips about how my writing and grammar or my story telling could improve. I don't mind the well deserved heads-up at all.:)

Also, thanks for reading!


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